A narrative of the life of David Crockett ..

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NARRATIVE

OF THE

LIFE OF DAVID CROCKETT,

OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE.

I leave this rule for others when I'm dead,
Be always sure you're right— then go ahead !

The Author.

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF

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PHILADELPHIA:

E. L. CAREY AND A. HART.

BOSTON :
ALLEN & TICKNOR.

1834

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Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1834,

By David Crockett,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Columbia,

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PREFACE.

Fashion is a thing I care mighty little
about, except when it happens to run just
exactly according to my own notion ; and
I was mighty nigh sending out my book
without any preface at all, until a notion
struck me, that perhaps it was necessary to
explain a little the reason why and where-
fore I had written it.

Most of authors seek fame, but I seek for
justice, — a holier impulse than ever entered
into the ambitious struggles of the votaries
oi \hdii fickle^ ftirting goddess.

A publication has been made to the
world, which has done me much injus-
tice 5 and the catchpenny errors which it

4 PREFACE.

contains, have been already too long sanc-
tioned by my silence. I don't know the
author of the book — ^and indeed I don't
want to know him ; for after he has taken
such a liberty with my name, and made
such an effort to hold me up to public
ridicule, he cannot calculate on any thing
but my displeasure. If he had been con-
tent to have written his opinions about me,
however contemptuous they might have
been, I should have had less reason to com-
plain. But when he professes to give my
narrative (as he often does) in my own
language, and then puts into my mouth
such language as would disgrace even an
outlandish African, he must himself be
sensible of the injustice he has done me,
and the trick he has played off on the pub-
lick. I have met with hundreds, if not with
thousands of people, who have formed their
opinions of my appearance, habits, Ian-

PREFACE. 5

guage, and every thing else from that de-
ceptive work.

They have ahnost in every instance ex-
pressed the most profound astonishment at
finding me in human shape, and w^ith the
countenance^ appearance^ and common feel-
ings of a human being. It is to correct all
these false notions, and to do justice to my-
self, that I have written.

It is certain that the writer of the book
alluded to has gathered up many imperfect
scraps of information concerning me, as in
parts of his work there is some little sem- -
blance of truth. But I ask him, if this
notice should ever reach his eye, how
would he have liked it, if I had treated him
so ? — if I had put together such a bundle of
ridiculous stuff, and headed it with Ms
name, and sent it out upon the world with-
out ever even condescending to ask his per-
mission ? To these questions, all upright

a2

6 PREFACE.

men must give the same answer. It was
wrong; and the desire to make money
by it, is no apology for such injustice to a
fellow man.

But I let him pass ; as my wish is great-
ly more to vindicate myself, than to con-
demn him.

In the following pages I have endeavour-
ed to give the reader a plain, honest, home-
spun account of my state in life, and some
few of the difficulties which have attended
me along its journey, dovni to this time.
I am perfectly aware, that I have related
many small and, as I fear, uninteresting
circumstances; but if so, my apology is,
that it was rendered necessary by a desire
to link the different periods of my life to-
gether, as they have passed, from my child-
hood onward, and thereby to enable the
reader to select such parts of it as he may
relish most, if, indeed, there is any thing in
it which may suit his palate.

PREFACE. 7

I have also been operated on by another
consideration. It is this: — I know, that
obscure as I am, my name is making a con-
siderable deal of fuss in the world. I can't
tell why it is, nor in what it is to end. Go
where I will, everybody seems anxious to
get a peep at me ; and it would be hard to
tell which would have the advantage, if
I, and the " Government," and " Black
Hawk," and a great eternal big caravan of
wild varments were all to be showed at the
same time in four different parts of any of
the big cities in the nation. I am not so
sure that I shouldn't get the most custom
of any of the crew. There must therefore
be something in me, or about me, that at-
tracts attention, which is even mysterious
to myself. I can't understand it, and I
therefore put all the facts down, leav-
ing the reader free to take his choice of
them.

^ PREFACE.

On the subject of my style, it is bad
enough, in all conscience, to please critics,
if that is what they are after. They are a
sort of vermin, though, that I sha'n't even
so much as stop to brush off. If they w^ant
to v^rork on my book, just let them go
ahead ; and after they are done, they had
better blot out all their criticisms, than to
know what opinion I would express of
theni^ and by what sort of a curious name
I would call them^ if I was standing near
them, and looking over their shoulders.
They will, at most, have only their trouble
for their pay. But I rather expect I shall
have them on my side.

But I don't know of any thing in my
book to be criticised on by honourable men.
Is it on my spelling ? — that's not my trade.
Is it on my grammar ? — I hadn't time to
learn it, and make no pretensions to it. Is
it on the order and arrangement of my

PREFACE. 9

book ? — I never wrote one before, and never
read very many; and, of course, know
mighty little about that. Will it be on
the authorship of the book ? — this I claim,
and 1 11 hang on to it, like a wax plaster.
The whole book is my own, and every
sentiment and sentence in it. I would not
be such a fool, or knave either, as to deny
that I have had it hastily run over by a
friend or so, and that some little alterations
have been made in the spelling and gram-
mar; and I am not so sure that it is not
the worse of even that, for I despise this
way of spelling contrary to nature. And as
for grammar, it's pretty much a thing of
nothing at last, after all the fuss that's
made about it. In some places, I wouldn't
suffer either the spelling, or grammar, or
any thing else to be touch'd; and there-
fore it will be found in my own way.
But if any body complains that I have

20 ^ PREFACE.

had it looked over, I can only say to him,
her, or them~as the case may he— that while
critics were learning grammar, and learn-
ing to spell, I5 and "Doctor Jackson,
L.L.D." ^^ere fighting in the wars 5 and
if our hooks, and messages, and proclama-
tions, and cahinet writings, and- so forth,
and so on, should need a little looking
over, and a little correcting of the spell-
ing and the grammar to make them fit for
use, its just nohody's business. Big men
have more important matters to attend
to than crossing their fs — , and dotting
their i's — , and such like small things.
But the "Government's" name is to the
proclamation, and my name's to the hook ;
and if I didn't write the book, the " Go-
vernment" didn't write the proclamation,
which no man dares to deny !

But just read for yourself, and my ears
for a heel tap, if before you get through

PREFACE. 1 1

you don't say, with many a good-natured
smile and hearty laugh, "This is truly
the very thing itself — the exact image of
its Author,

DAVID CROCKETT."

Washington City, '>
February 1st, 1834. S

NARRATIVE

OF THE

LIFE OF DAVID CROCKETT.

CHAPTER i.

As the public seem to feel some interest in the
history of an individual so humble as I am, and
as that history can be so well known to no person
living as to myself, I have, after so long a time,
and under many pressing solicitations from my
friends and acquaintances, at last determined to
put my own hand to it, and lay before the world
a narrative on which they may at least rely as
being true. And seeking no ornament or colour-
ing for a plain, simple tale of truth, I throw aside
all hypocritical and fawning apologies, and, ac-
cording to my o"wn maxim, just ''go ahead.^^
Where I am not known, I might, perhaps, gain
some little credit by having thrown around this

volume some of the flowers of learning ; but

B 13

, 14 THE LIFE OF

where I am known, the vile cheatery would soon
be detected, and like the foolish jackdaw, that
with a horrowed tail attempted to play the pea-
cock, I should be justly robbed of my pilfered
ornaments, and sent forth to strut without a tail
for the balance of my time. I shall commence
my book with what little I have learned of the
history of my father, as all great men rest many,
if not most, of their hopes on their noble ancestry.
Mine was poor, but I hope honest, and even that
is as much as many a man can say. But to my
subject. '

My father's name was John Crockett, and he
was of Irish descent. He was either born in
Ireland or on a passage from that country to Ame-
rica across the Atlantic. He was by profession a
farmer, and spent the early part of his life in the
state of Pennsylvania. The name of my mother
was Rebecca Hawkins. She was an American
woman, born in the state of Maryland, between
York and Baltimore. It is likely I may have
heard where they were married, but if so, I have
forgotten. It is, however, certain that they were,
or else the public would never have been troubled
with the history of David Crockett, their son.

I have an imperfect recollection of the part
which \ have understood my father took in the

DAVID CROCKETT. 15

revolutionary war. I personally know nothing
about it, for it happened to be a little before my
day ; but from himself, and many others who
were well acquainted with its troubles and afflic-
tions, I have learned that he was a soldier in the
revolutionary war, and took part in that bloody
struggle. He fought, according to my information,
in the battle at Kings Mountain against the Bri-
tish and tories, and in some other engagements of
which my remembrance is too imperfect to enable
me to speak with any certainty. At some time,
though I cannot say certainly when, my father, as
I have understood, lived in Lincoln county, in the
state of North Carolina. How long, I don't know.
But when he removed from there, he settled in
that district of country which is now embraced in
the east division of Tennessee, though it was not
then erected into a state.

He settled there under dangerous circumstances, '
both to himself and his family, as the country
was full of Indians, who were at that time very
troublesome. By the Creeks, my grandfather and
grandmother Crockett were both murdered, in
their own house, and on the very spot of ground
where Rogersville, in Hawkins county, now stands.
At the same time, the Indians wounded Joseph
Crockett, a brother to my father, by a ball, which

16 THE LIFE OF

broke his arm ; and took James a pj^isoner, who
was still a younger brother than Joseph, and who,
from natural defects, was less able to make his es-
cape, as he was both deaf and dumb. He remained
with them for seventeen years and nine months,
when he was discovered and recollected by my
father and his eldest brother, William Crockett ;
and was purchased by them from an Indian
trader, at a price which I do not now remember ;
but so it was, that he was delivered up to them,
and they returned him to his relatives. He now
lives in Cumberland county, in the state of Ken-
tucky, though I have not seen him for many
years.

My father and mother had six sons and thiee
daughters. I was the fifth son. What a pity I
hadn't been the seventh ! For then I might have
been, by common consent, called doctor, as a
heap of people get to be great men. But, like
many of them, I stood no chance to become great
in any other way than by accident. As my father
was very poor, and living as he did far hack in
the back woods, he had neither the means nor the
opportunity to give me, or any of the rest of his
children, any learning.

But before I get on the subject of my own trou-
bles, and a great many very funny things that

DAVID CROCKETT. 17

have happened to me, like all other historians and
bioagraphers, I should not only inform the public
that I was born, myself, as well as other folks, but
that this important event took place, according to
the best information I have received on the sub-
ject, on the 17th of August, in the year 1786;
whether by day or night, I believe I never heard,
but if I did I, have forgotten. I suppose, however,
it is not very material to my present purpose, nor
to the world, as the more important fact is well
attested, that I was born ; and, indeed, it might be
inferred, from my present size and appearance, that
I was pretty well born, though I have never yet
attached myself to that numerous and worthy
society.

At that time my father lived at the mouth of
Lime Stone, on the Nola-chucky river ; and for
the purpose not only of showing what sort of a
man I now am, but also to show how soon I began
to be a sort of a little man, I have endeavoured
to take the back track of life, in order to fix on
the first thing that I can remember. But even
then, as now, so many things were happening,
that as Major Jack Downing would say, they are all
in "a pretty considerable of a snarl," and I find it
" kinder hard" to fix on that thing, among them

all, which really happened first. But I think it

B 2

iQ THE LIFE OF

likely, I have hit on the outside line of my recol-
lection ; as one thing happened at which I was so
badly scared, that it ^eems to me I could not have
forgotten it, if it had happened a little time only
after I was born. Therefore it furnishes me with
no certain evidence of my age at the time ; but I
know one thing very well, and that is, that when
it happened, I had no knowledge of the use of
breeches, for I had never had any nor worn any.

But the circumstance was this : My four elder
brothers, and a well-grown boy of about fifteen
years old, by the name of Campbell, and myself,
were all playing on the river's side ; when all the
rest of them got into my father's canoe, and put
out to amuse themselves on the water, leaving me
on the shore alone.

Just a little distance below them, there was a
fall in the river, which went slap-right straight
down. My brothers, though they were little fel-
lows, had been used to paddling the canoe, and
could have carried it safely anywhere about there;
but this fellow Campbell wouldn't let them
have the paddle, but, fool like, undertook to ma-
nage it himself. I reckon he had never seen a
water craft before ; and it went just any way but
the way he wanted it. There he paddled, and
paddled, and paddled — all the while going wrong,

LAVID CROCKETT. 19

— until, in a short time, here they were all going,
straight forward, stern foremost, right plump to
the falls ; and if they had only had a fair shake,
they would have gone over as slick as a whistle.
It was'ent this, though, that scared me ; for I was
so infernal mad that they had left me on the shore,
that I had as soon have seen them all go over the
falls a bit, as any other way. But their danger
was seen by a man by the name of Kendall, but I'll
be shot if- it was Amos ; for I believe I would
know him yet if I was to see him. This man
Kendall was working in a field on the bank, and
knowing there was no time to lose, he started full
tilt, and here he come like a cane brake afire ;
and as he ran, he threw off his coat, and then his
jacket, and then his shirt, for I know when he got
to the water he had nothing on but his breeches.
But seeing him in such a hurry, and tearing off
his clothes as he went, I had no doubt but that the
devil or something else was after him — and close
on him, too — as he was running within an inch of
' his life. This alarmed me, and I screamed out
like a young painter. But Kendall didn't stop
for this. He went ahead with all might, and as
full bent on saving the boys, as Amos was on
moving the deposites. When he came to the wa-
ter he plunged in, and where it was too deep to

20 THE LIFE OF

wade he would swim, and where it was shallow
enough he went bolting on ; and by such exertion
as I never saw at any other time in my life,
he reached the canoe, when it was within twenty
or thirty feet of the falls ; and so great was the
suck, and so swift the current, that poor Ken-
dall had a hard time of it to stop them at last,
as Amos will to stop the mouths of the people
about his stockjobbing. But he hung on to the
canoe, till he got it stop'd, and then draw'd it
out of danger. When they got out, I found the
boys were more scared than I had been, and the
only thing that comforted me was, the belief
that it was a punishment on them for leaving
me on shore.

Shortly after this, my father removed, and
settled in the same county, about ten miles above
Greenville.

There another circumstance happened, which
made a lasting impression on my memory,
though I was but a small child. Joseph Haw-
kins, who was a brother to my mother, was
in the woods hunting for deer. He was passing
near a thicket of brush, in which one of our
neighbours was gathering some grapes, as it was
in the fall of the year, and the grape season.
The body of the man was hid by the brush,

DAVID CROCKETT. 21

and it was only as he would raise his hand to
pull the bunches, that any part of him could be
seen. It was a likely place for deer ; and my
uncle, having no suspicion that it was any human
being, but supposing the raising of the hand to
be the occasional twitch of a deer's ear, fired at
the lump, and as the devil would have it, un-
fortunately shot the man through the body. I
saw my father draw a silk handkerchief through
the bullet hole, and entirely through his body ;
yet after a while he got well, as little as any one
would have thought it. What become of him,
or whether he is dead or alive, I don't know ;
but I reckon he did'ent fancy the business of ga-
thering grapes in an out-of-the-way thicket soon
again.

The next move my father made was to the
mouth of Cove creek, where he and a man by the
name of Thomas Galbreath undertook to build a
mill in partnership. They went on very well
with their work until it was ni^h done, when
there came the second epistle to Noah's fresh, and
away went their mill, shot, lock, and barrel. I
remember the water rose so high, that it got up
into the house we lived in, and my father moved
us out of it, to keep us from being drowned. I
was now about seven or eight years old, and have

22 THE LIFE OF

a pretty distinct recollection of every thing that
was goinof on. From his bad luck in that bu-
siness, and being ready to wash out from mill
building, my father again removed, and this time
settled in Jefferson county, now in the state of
Tennessee ; where he opened a tavern on the road
from Abbingdon to Knoxville.

His tavern was on a small scale, as he was poor ;
and the principal accommodations which he kept,
were for the Avaggoners who travelled the road.
Here I remained with him until I was twelve
years old ; and about that time, you may guess, if
you oelong to Yankee land, or reckon, if like me
you belong to the back-woods, that I began to
make up my acquaintance with hard times, and a
plenty of them.

An old Dutchman, by the name of Jacob Siler,
who was moving from Knox county to Rock-
bridge, in the state of Virginia, in passing, made a
stop at my father's house. He had a large stock
of cattle, that he was carrying on with him ; and I
suppose made some proposition to my father to
hire some one to assist him.

Being hard run every way, and having no
thought, as I believe, that I was cut out for a
Congressman or the like, young as I was, and as
little as I knew about travelling, or being from

DAVID CROCKETT 23

home, he hired me to the old Dutchman, to go
four hundred miles on foot, with a perfect stranger
that I never had seen until the evening before. I
set out with a heavy heart, it is true, but I went
ahead, until we arrived at the place, which was
three miles from what is called the Natural Bridge,
and made a stop at the house of a Mr. Hartley,
who was father-in-law to Mr. Siler, who had
hired me. My Dutch master was very kind to
me, and gave me five or six dollars, being pleased,
as he said, with my services.

This, however, I think was a bait for me, as he
persuaded me to stay with him, and not return
any more to my father. I had been taught so
many lessons of obedience by my father, that I
at first supposed I was bound to obey this man,
or at least I was afraid openly to disobey him ; and
I therefore staid with him, and tried to put on a
look of perfect contentment until I got the family
all to believe I was fully satisfied. I had been
there about four or five weeks, when one day my-
self and two other boys were playing on the road-
side, some distance from the house. There came
along three waggons. One belonged to an old
man by the name of Dunn, and the others to two
of his sons. They had each of them a good team,
and were all bound for Knoxville. They had been

24 THE LIFE OF

in the habit of stopping at my father's as they
passed the road, and I knew them. I made my-
self known to the old gentleman, and informed
him of my situation ; I expressed a wish to get
back to my father and mother, if they could fix
any plan for me to do so. They told me that
they would stay that night at a tavern seven
miles from there, and that if I could get to them
before day the next morning, they would take me
home ; and if I was pursued, they would protect
me. This was a Sunday evening ; I went back
to the good old Dutchman's house, and as good
fortune would have it, he and the family were out
on a visit. I gathered my clothes, and what little
money I had, and put them all together under the
head of my bed. I went to bed early that night,
but sleep seemed to be a stranger to me. For
though I was a wild boy, yet I dearly loved my
father and mother, and their images appeared to
be so deeply fixed in my mind, that I could not
sleep for thinking of them. And then the fear
that when I should attempt to go out, I should be
discovered and called to a halt, filled me with
anxiety ; and between my childish love of home,
on the one hand, and the fears of which I have
spoken, on the other, I felt mighty queer.

But so it was, about three hours before day in

DAVID CROCKETT 25

the morning I got up to make my start. When I

got out, I found it was snowing fast, and that the

snow was then on the ground about eight inches

deep. I had not even the advantage of moonlight,

and the whole sky was hid by the falling snow,

so that I had to guess at my way to the big road,

which was about a half mile from the house.

I however pushed ahead and soon got to it, and

then pursued it, in the direction to the waggons.

I could not have pursued the road if I had not

guided myself by the opening it made between

the timber, as the snow was too deep to leave any

part of it to be known by either seeing or feeling.

Before I overtook the waggons, the earth was

covered about as deep as my knees ; and my

tracks filled so briskly after me, that by daylight,

my Dutch master could have seen no trace which

I left.

I got to the place about an hour before day. I

found the waggoners already stirring, and engaged

in feeding and preparing their horses for a start.

Mr. Dunn took me in and treated me with great

kindness. My heart was more deeply impressed

hy meeting with such a friend, and " at such a

time," than by wading the snow-storm by night,

or all the other sufierings which my mind had

endured. I warmed myself by the fire, for I was

C

26 THE LIFE OF

very cold, and after an early breakfast, we set out
on our journey. The thoughts of home now be-
gan to take the entire possession of my mind, and
I almost numbered the sluggish turns of the
wheels, and much more certainly the miles of our
travel, which appeared to me to count mighty
slow. I continued with my kind protectors,
until we got to the house of a Mr. John Cole, on
Roanoke, when my impatience became so great,
that I determined to set out on foot and go ahead
by myself, as I could travel twice as fast in that
way as the waggons could.

Mr. Dunn seemed very sorry to part with me,
and used many arguments to prevent me from
leaving him. But home, poor as it was, again
rushed on my memory, and it seemed ten times
as dear to me as it ever had before. The reason
was, that my parents were there, and all that I
had been accustomed to in the hours of childhood
and infancy was there ; and there my anxious
little heart panted also to be. We remained at
Mr. Coles that night, and early in the morning I
felt that I couldn't stay ; so, taking leave of my
friends the waggoners, I went forward on foot, until
I was fortunately overtaken by a gentleman, who
was returning from market, to which he had been
with a drove of horses. He had a led horse, with

DAVID CROCKETT. 27

a bridle and saddle on him, and he kindly offered
to let me get on his horse and ride him. I did so,
and was glad of the chance, for I was tired, and
was, moreover, near the first crossing of Roanoke,
which I would have been compelled to wade,
cold as the water was, if I had not fortunately met
this good man. I travelled with him in this way,
without any thing turning up worth recording,
until we got within fifteen miles of my father's
house. There we parted, and he went on to
Kentucky and I trudged on homeward, which place
I reached that evening. The name of this kind
gentleman I have entirely forgotten, and I am
sorry for it ; for it deserves a high place in my
little book. A remembrance of his kindness to a
little straggling boy, and a stranger to him, has
however a resting place in my heart, and there it
will remain as long as I live.

( 29 )

CHAPTER II.

Having gotten home, as I have just related, I
remained with my father until the next fall, at
which time he took it into his head to send me
to a little country school, which was kept in the
neighbourhood by a man whose name was Ben-
jamin Kitchen ; though I believe he was no way
connected w^ith the cabinet. I went four days,
.and had just began to learn my letters a little,
when I had an unfortunate falling out with one
of the scholars, — a boy much larger and older
than myself. I knew well enough that though
the school-house might do for a still hunt, it
wouldn't do for a drive, and so I concluded to
wait until I could get him out, and then I was
determined to give him salt and vinegar. I waited
till in the evening, and when the larger scholars
were spelling, I slip'd out, and going some distance
along his road, I lay by the way-side in the
bushes, waiting for him to come along. After a

while he and his company came on sure enough,

c2

30 THE LIFE OF

and 1 pitched out from the bushes and set on
him like a wild cat. I scratched his face all to
a flitter jig, and soon made him cry out for quar-
ters in good earnest. The fight being over. I
went on home, and the next morning was start-
ed again to school ; but do you think I went ?
No, indeed. I was very clear of it ; for I ex-
pected the master would lick me up, as bad as I
had the boy. So, instead of going to the school-
house, I laid out in the woods all day until in
the evening the scholars were dismissed, and my
brothers, who were also going to school, came
along, returning home. I wanted to conceal this
whole business from my father, and I therefore
persuaded them not to tell on me, which they
agreed to.

Things went on in this way for several days ; I
starting with them to school in the morning, and
returning with them in the evening, but lying out
in the woods all day. At last, however, the mas-
ter wrote a note to my father, inquiring why I
was not sent to school. When he read this note,
he called me up, and I knew very well that I was
in a devil of a hobble, for my father had been
taking a few horns, and was in a good condition to
make the fur fly. He called on me to know why
I had not been at school ? I told him I was

DAVID CROCKETT. 31

afraid to go, and that the master would whip me ;
for I knew quite well if I was turned over to this
old Kitchen, I should be cooked up to a cracklin,
in little or no time. But I soon found that I was
not to expect a much better fate at home j for
my father told me, in a very angry manner,
that he would whip me an eternal sight worse
than the master, if I didn't start immediately to
the school. I tried again to beg off ; but nothing
would do, but to go to the school. Finding me
rather too slow about starting, he gathered about a
two year old hickory, and broke after me. I put
out with all my might, and soon we were both up
to the top of our speed. We had a tolerable tough
race for about a mile ; but mind me, not on the
school-house road, for I was trying to get as far
the t'other way as possible. And I yet believe, if
my father and the schoolmaster could both have
levied on me about that time, I should never have
been called on to sit in the councils of the na-
tion, for I think they would have used me up.
But fortunately for me, about this time, I saw just
before me a hill, over which I made headway,
like a young steamboat. As soon as I had passed
over it, I turned to one side, and hid myself in the
bushes. Here I waited until the old gentleman
passed by, puffing and blowing, as tho' his steam

32 THE LIFE OF

was high enough to burst his boilers. I waited
until he gave up the hunt, and passed back again :
I then cut out, and went to the house of an ac-
quaintance a few miles oflf, who was just about to
start with a drove. His name was Jesse Cheek,
and I hired myself to go with him, determining
not to return home, as home and the school-house
had both become too hot for me. I had an elder
brother, who also hired to go with the same drove.
We set out and went on through Abbingdon, and
the county seat of Withe county, in the state of
Virginia ; and then through Lynchburgh, by
Orange court-house, and Charlottesville, passing
through what was called Chester Gap, on to a
town called Front Royal, where my employer sold
out his drove to a man by the name of Vanmetre ;
and I was started homeward again, in company
with a brother of the first owner of the drove,
with one horse between us ; having left my bro-
ther to come on with the balance of the com-
pany.

I traveled on with my new comrade about three
days' journey ; but much to his discredit, as I then
thought, and still think, he took care all the time
to ride, but never to tie ; at last I told him to go
ahead, and I would come when I got ready. He
gave me four dollars to bear my expenses up-

DAVID CROCKETT. 33

wards of four hundred miles, and then cut out and
left me.

I purchased some provisions, and went on
slowly, until at length I fell in with a waggoner,
with whom I was disposed to scrape up a hasty
acquaintance. I inquired where he lived, and
where he was going, and all about his affairs. He
informed me that he lived in Greenville, Tennessee,
and was on his way to a place called Gerardstown,
fifteen miles below Winchester. He also said,
that after he should make his journey to that
place, he would immediately return to Tennessee.
His name was Adam Myers, and a jolly good fel-
low he seemed to be. On a little reflection, I de-
termined to turn back and go with him, which I
did ; and we journeyed on slowly as waggons com-
monly do, but merrily enough. I often thought
of home, and, indeed, wished bad enough to be
there ; but, when I thought of the school-house,
and Kitchen, my master, and the race with my
father, and the big hickory he carried, and of the
fierceness of the storm of wrath that I had left
him in, I was afraid to venture back ; for I knew
my father's nature so well, that I was certain his
anger would hang on to him like a turkle does to a
fisherman's toe, and that, if I went back in a hurry,
he would give me the devil in three or four ways

34 THE LIFE OF

But I and the waggoner had traveled two days,
when we met my brother, who, I before stated, I
had left behind when the drove was sold out.
He persuaded me to go home, but I refused. He
pressed me hard, and brought up a great many
mighty strong arguments to induce me to turn
back again. He pictured the pleasure of meeting
my mother, and my sisters, who all loved me
dearly, and told me what uneasiness they had al-
ready suffered about me. I could not help shedding
tears, which I did not often do, and my affections
all pointed back to those dearest friends, and as I
thought, nearly the only ones I had in the world ;
but then the promised whipping — that was the
thing. It came right slap down on every thought
of home ; and I finally determined that make or
break, hit or miss, I v/ould just hang on to my
journey, and go ahead with the waggoner. My
brother was much grieved at our parting, but he
went his way, and so did I. We went on until
at last we got to Gerardstown, where the waggoner
tried to get a back load, but he could not without
going to Alexandria. He engaged to go there,
and I concluded that I would wait until he re-
turned. I set in to work for a man by the name
of John Gray, at twenty-five cents per day. My
Ipibour, however, was light, such as ploughing in

DAVID CROCKETT. 35

some small grain, in which I succeeded in pleasing
the old man very well. I continued working
for him until the waggoner got back, and for a
good long time afterwards, as he continued to run
his team back and forward, hauling to and from
Baltimore. In the next spring, from the proceeds
of my daily labour, small as it was, I was able to
get me some decent clothes, and concluded I
would make a trip with the waggoner to Balti-
more, and see what sort of a place that was, and
what sort of folks lived there. I gave him the
balance of what money I had for safe keeping,
which, as well as I recollect, was about seven dol-
lars. We got on well enough until we came near
Ellicott's Mills. Our load consisted of flour, in
barrels. Here I got into the waggon for the pur-
pose of changing my clothing, not thinking that I
was in any danger ; but while I was in there we
were met by some wheel-barrow men, who were
working on the road, and the horses took a scare
and away they went, like they had seen a ghost.
They made a sudden wheel around, and broke the
waggon tongue slap, short off, as a pipe-stem ; and
snap went both of the axletrees at the same time,
and of all devlish flouncing about of flour barrels
that ever was seen, I reckon this took the beat.
Even a rat would have stood a bad chance in a

36 THE LIFE OF

straight race among them, and not much better
in a crooked one ; for he would have been in a
good way to be ground up as fine as ginger by
their rolling over him. But this proved to me,
that if a fellow is born to be hung, he will never
be drowned ; and, further, that if he is born for a
seat in Congress, even flour barrels can't make a
mash of him. All these dangers I escaped unhurt,
though, like most of the office-holders of these
times, for a while I was afraid to say my soul was
my own ; for I didn't know how soon I should
be knocked into a cocked hat, and get my v/alking
papers for another country.

We put our load into another waggon, and hauled
ours to a workman's shop in Baltimore, having
delivered the flour, and there we intended to re-
main two or three days, which time was necessary
to repair the runaway waggon. While I was
there, I went, one day, down to the wharf, and
was much delighted to see the big ships, and their
sails all flying; for I had never seen any such
things before, and, indeed, I didn't believe there
were any such things in all nature. After a short
time my curiosity induced me to step aboard of
one, where I was met by the captain, who asked
me if I didn't wish to take a voyage to London ? I
told him I did, for by this time I had become

DAVID CROCKETT. 37

pretty well weaned from home^ and I cared but
little where I was, or where I went, or what be-
come of me. He said he wanted just such a boy
as I was, which I was glad to hear. I told him 1
would go and get my clothes, and go with him.
He enquired about my parents, where they lived,
and all about them. I let him know that they
lived in Tennessee, many hundred miles off. We
soon agreed about my intended voyage, and I went
back to my friend, the waggoner, and informed
him that I was going to London, and wanted my
money and my clothes. He refused to let me
have either, and swore that he would confine me,
and take me back to Tennessee. I took it to heart
very much, but he kept so close and constant a
watch over me, that I found it impossible to es-
cape from him, until he had started homeward,
and made several days' journey on the road. He
was, during this time, very ill to me, and threatened
me with his waggon whip on several occasions.
At length I resolved to leave him at all hazards ;
and so, before day, one morning, I got my clothes
out of his waggon, and cut out, on foot, without a
farthing of money to bear my expenses. For all
other friends having failed, I determined then to
throw myself on Providence, and see how that

would use me. I had gone, however, only a few

D

38 THE LIFE OF

miles when 1 came up with another waggoner, and
such was my situation, that I felt more than ever
the necessity of endeavouring to find a friend. I
therefore concluded I would seek for one in him.
He was going westwardly, and very kindly en-
quired of me where I was travelling ? My youth-
ful resolution, which had brooked almost every
thing else, rather gave way at this enquiry ; for it
brought the loneliness of my situation, and every
thing else that was calculated to oppress me, di-
rectly to view. My first answer to his question
was in a sprinkle of tears, for if the world had
been given to me, I could not, at that moment,
have helped crying. As soon as the storm of
feeling was over, I told him how I had been treated
by the waggoner but a little before, who kept what
little money I had, and left me without a copper
to buy even a morsel of food.

He became exceedingly angry, and swore that
he would make the other waggoner give up my
money, pronouncing him a scoundrel, and many
other hard names. I told him I was afraid to see
him, for he had threatened me with his waggon
whip, and I believed he would injure me. But
my new friend was a very large, stout-looking
man, and as resolute as a tiger. He bid me
not to be afraid, still swearing he would have

DAVID CROCKETT. 39

my money, or whip it out of the wretch who
had it.

We turned and went back about two miles,
when we reached the place where he was. I went
reluctantly ; but I depended on my friend for pro-
tection. When we got there, I had but little to
say ; but approaching the waggoner, my friend
said to him, " You damn'd rascal, you have treated
this boy badly." To which he replied, it was my
fault. He w^as then asked, if he did not get
seven dollars of my money, which he confessed.
It was then demanded of him ; but he declared
most solemnly, that he had not that amount in
the world ; that he had spent my money, and in-
tended paying it back to me when we got to Ten-
nessee. I then felt reconciled, and persuaded my
friend to let him alone, and we returned to his
waggon, geared up, and started. His name I shall
never forget while my memory lasts ; it was
Henry Myers. He lived in Pennsylvania, and
I found him what he professed to be, a faithful
friend and a clever fellow.

We traveled together for several days, but at
length I concluded to endeavour to make my way
homeward ; and for that purpose set out again on
foot, and alone. But one thing I must not omit.
The last night I staid with Mr. Myers, was at a

40 THE LIFE OF

place where several other vv^aggoners also staid.
He told them, before we parted, that I was a poor
IHtle straggling boy, and how I had been treated ;
•■nd that I was without money, though I had a
long journey before me, through a land of stran
gers, where it was not even a wilderness.

They were good enough to contribute a sort of
money-purse, and presented me with three dol-
lars. On this amount I travelled as far as Mont-
gomery court-house, in the state of Virginia,
w^here it gave out. I set in to work for a man by
the name of James Caldwell, a month, for five
dollars, which was about a shilling a day. When
this time was out, I bound myself to a man by the
name of Elijah Griffith, by trade a hatter, agree-
ing to work for him four years. I remained with
him about eighteen months, when he found him-
self so involved in debt, that he broke up, and
left the country. For this time I had received
nothing, and was, of course, left without money,
and with but very few clothes, and them very
indifferent ones. I, however, set in again, and
worked about as I could catch employment, until
I got a little money, and some clothing ; and once
more cut out for home. When I reached New
River, at the mouth of a small stream, called Little
River, the white caps were flying so, that I couldn't

DAVID CROCKETT. 41

get any body to attempt to put me across.

I argued the case as well as I could, but they

told me there was great danger of being capsized^

and drowned, if I attempted to cross. I told them,-

if I could get a canoe I would venture, caps or-

no caps. They tried to persuade me out of it ;

but finding they could not, they agreed I might

take a canoe, and so I did, and put ofl'. I tied

my clothes to the rope of the canoe, to have them

safe, whatever might happen. But I found it a

mighty ticklish business, I tell you. When I got

out fairly on the river, I would have given the

world, if it had belonged to me, to have been

back on shore. But there was no time to lose

now, so I just determined to do the best I could,

and the devil take the hindmost. I turned the

canoe across the v/aves, to do which, I had to turn

it nearly up the river, as the wind came from that

way ; and I went about two miles before I could

land. When I struck land, my canoe was about

half full of water, and I was as wet as a drowned

rat. But I was so much rejoiced, that I scarcely

felt the cold, though my clothes were frozen on

me ; and in this situation, I had to go above three

miles, before I could find any house, or fire to

warm at. I, however, made out to get to one at

last, and then I thought I would warm the inside

d2

42 THE LIFE OF

a little, as well as the outside, that there might be
no grumbling.

So I took "a leetle of the creator/'- — that warmer
of the cold, and cooler of the hot, — and it made me
feel so good that I concluded it was like the negro's
rabbit, " good any way." I passed on until I ar-
rived in Sullivan county, in the state of Tennessee,
and there I met with my brother, who had gone
with me when I started from home with the cat-
tle drove.

I staid with him a few weeks, and then went on
to my father's, which place I reached late in the
evening. Several waggons were there for the
night, and considerable company about the house.
I enquired if I could stay all night, for I did not
intend to make myself known, until I saw whether
any of the family would find me out I was told
that I could stay, and went in, but had mighty
little to say to any body. I had been gone so
long, and had grown so much, that the family did
not at first know me. And another, and perhaps a
stronger reason was, they had no thought or ex-
pectation of me, for they all had long given me up
for finally lost.

After a while, we were all called to supper. I
went with the rest. We had sat down to the table
^nd begun to eat, when my eldest sister recollected

DAVID CROCKETT. 43

me : she sprung up, ran and seized me around the
neck, and exclaimed, " Here is my lost brother."
My feelings at this time it would be vain and
foolish for me to attempt to describe. I had often
thought I felt before, and I suppose I had, but sure
I am, I never had felt as I then did. The joy of
my sisters and my mother, and, indeed, of all the
family, was such that it humbled me, and made
me sorry that I hadn't submitted to a hundred
whippings, sooner than cause so much affliction as
they had suffered on my account. I found the
family had never heard a word of me from the
time my brother left me. I was now almost fif-
teen years old ; and my increased age and size,
together with the joy of my father, occasioned by
my unexpected return, I was sure would secure me
against my long dreaded whipping ; and so they
did. But it will be a source of astonishment to
many, who reflect that I am now a member of the
American Congress, — the most enlightened body
of men in the world, — that at so advanced an age,
the age of fifteen, I did not know the first letter in
the book.

( 45 )

CHAPTER III.

I HAD remained for some short time at home
with my father, when he informed me that he
owed a man, whose name was Abraham Wilson,
the sum of thirty-six dolkrs, and that if I would
set in and work out the note, so as to lift it for
him, he would discharge me from his service, and
I might go free. I agreed to do this, and went
immediately to the man who held my father's
note, and contracted with him to work six months
for it. I set in, and worked with all my might,
not losing a single day in the six months. When
my time was out, I got my father's note, and then
declined working with the man any longer, though
he wanted to hire me mighty bad. The reason
was, it was a place where a heap of bad company
met to drink and gamble, and I wanted to get
away from them, for I know'd very well if I staid
there, I should get a bad name, as nobody could
be respectable that would live there. I therefore
returned to my father, and gave him up his paper,

46 THE LIFE OF

which seemed to please him mightily, for though
he was poor, he was an honest man, and always
tried mighty hard to pay off his debts.

I next went to the house of an honest old Qua-
ker, by the name of John Kennedy, who had re-
moved from North Carolina, and proposed to
hire myself to him, at two shillings a day. He
agreed to take me a week on trial ; at the end of
which he appeared pleased with my work, and in-
formed me that he held a note on my father for
forty dollars, and that he would give me that note
if I would work for him six months. I was cer-
tain enough that I should never get any part of the
note; but then I remembered it was my father
that owed it, and I concluded it was my duty as
a child to help him along, and ease his lot as much
as I could. I told the Quaker I would take him
up at his offer, and immediately went to work.
I never visited my father's house during the
whole time of this engagement, though he lived
only fifteen miles off. But when it was finished,
and I had got the note, I borrowed one of my em-
ployer's horses, and, on a Sunday evening, went to
pay my parents a visit. Some time after I got
there, I pulled out the note and handed it to my
father, who supposed Mr. Kennedy had sent it for
collection. The old man looked mighty sorry,

DAVID CROCKETT. 47

and said to me he had not the money to pay it,
and didn't know what he should do. I then told
him I had paid it for him, and it was then his own ;
that it was not presented for collection, but as a
present from me. At this, he shed a heap of
tears ; and as soon as he got a little over it, he said
he was sorry he couldn't give me any thing, but
he was not able, he was too poor.

The next day, I went back to my old friend,
the Quaker, and set in to work for him for some
clothes; for I had now worked a year without
getting any money at all, and my clothes were
nearly all worn out, and what few I had left
were mighty indifferent I worked in this way
for about two months ; and in that time a young
woman from North Carolina, who was the Qua-
ker's niece, came on a visit to his house. And
now I am just getting on a part of my history that
I know I never can forget. For though I have
heard people talk about hard loving, yet I reckon
no poor devil in this world was ever cursed with
such hard love as mine has always been, when it
came on me. I soon found myself head over
heels in love with this girl, whose name the public
could make no use of ; and I thought that if all
the hills about there were pure chink, and all be-

48 THE LIFE OF

longed to me, I would give them if I could just
talk to her as I wanted to ; but I was afraid to
begin, for when I would think of saying any thing
to her, my heart would begin to flutter like a duck
in a puddle; and if I tried to outdo it and speak, it
would get right smack up in my throat, and choak
me like a cold potatoe. It bore on my mind in
this way, till at last I concluded I must die if I didn't
broach the subject; and so I determined to begin
and hang on a trying to speak, till my heart would
get out of my throat one way or t'other. And so
one day at it I went, and after several trials I
could say a little. I told her how well I loved
her ; that she was the darling object of my soul
and body ; and I must have her, or else I should
pine down to nothing, and just die away with the
consumption.

I found my talk was not disagreeable to her ;
but she was an honest girl, and didn't want to
deceive nobody. She told me she was engaged
to her cousin, a son of the old Quaker. This news
was worse to me than war, pestilence, or famine ;
but still I knowed I could not help myself. I
saw quick enough my cake was dough, and I
tried to cool off as fast as possible ; but I had
hardly safety pipes enough, as my love was so hot

DAVID CROCKETT. 49

as mighty nigh to burst my boilers. But I didn't
press my claims any more, seeing there was no
chance to do any thing.

I began now to think^ that all my misfortunes
growed out of my want of learning. I had never
been to school but four days, as the reader has
already seen, and did not yet know a letter.

I thought I would try to go to school some ; and
as the Quaker had a married son, who was living
about a mile and a half from him, and keeping a
school, I proposed to him that I would go to
school four days in the week, and work for him
the other two, to pay my board and schooling.
He agreed I might come on those terms ; and so at
it I went, learning and working back and forwards,
until I had been with him nigh on to six months.
In this time I learned to read a little in my primer,
to write my own name, and to cypher some in
the three first rules in figures. And this was all
the schooling I ever had in my life, up to this
day. I should have continued longer, if it hadn't
been that I concluded I couldn't do any longer
without a wife ; and so I cut out to hunt me one.

I found a family of very pretty little girls that

I had known when very young. They had lived

in the same neighborhood with me, and I had

thought very well of them. I made an offer to

E

50 THE LIFE OF

one of them, whose name is nobody's business,
no more than the Quaker girl's was, and I found
she took it very well. I still continued paying
my respects to her, until I got to love her as bad
as I had the Quaker's niece ; and I would have
agreed to fight a whole regiment of wild cats if
she would only have said she would have me.
Several months passed in this way, during all of
which time she continued very kind and friendly.
At last, the son of the old Quaker and my first
girl had concluded to bring their matter to a
close, and my little queen and myself were called
on to wait on them. We went on the day, and
performed our duty as attendants. This made me
worse than ever ; and after it was over, I pressed
my claim very hard on her, but she would still
give me a sort of an evasive answer. However, I
gave her mighty little peace, till she told me at
last she would have me. I thought this was glo-
rification enough, even without spectacles. I was
then about eighteen years old. We fixed the time
to be married ; and I thought if that day come, I
should be the happiest man in the created world,
or in the moon, or any where else.

I had by this time got to be mighty fond of
the rifle, and had bought a capital one. I most
generally carried her with me whereever I went,

DAVID CROCKETT. 5I

and though I had got back to the old Quaker's to
live;, who was a very particular man, I would
sometimes slip out and attend the shooting
matches, where they shot for beef; I always
tried, though, to keep it a secret from him. He
had at the same time a bound boy living with
him, who I had gotten into almost as great a
notion of the girls as myself. He was about my
own age, and was deeply smitten with the sister
to my intended wife. I know'd it was in vain to
try to get the leave of the old man for my young
associate to go with me on any of my courting
frolics ; but I thought I could fix a plan to have
him along, which would not injure the Quaker, as
we had no notion that he should ever know it.
We commonly slept up-stairs, and at the gable
end of the house there was a window. So one
Sunday, when the old man and his family were
all gone to meeting, we went out and cut a long
pole, and, taking it to the house, we set it up on
end in the corner, reaching up the chimney as
high as the window. After this we would go up-
stairs to bed, and then putting on our Sunday
clothes, would go out at the window, and climb
down the pole, take a horse apiece, and ride about
ten miles to where his sweetheart lived, and the
girl I claimed as my wife. I was always mighty

52 THE LIFE OF

careful to be back before day, so as to escape
being found out ; and in this way I continued my
attentions very closely until a few days before I
was to be married, or at least thought I was,
for I had no fear that any thing was about to go
wrong.

Just now I heard of a shooting-match in the
neighbourhood, right between where I lived and
my girPs house; and I determined to kill two birds
with one stone, — to go to the shooting match first,
and then to see her. I therefore made the Quaker
believe I was going to hunt for deer, as they were
pretty plent}?- about in those parts ; but, instead of
hunting them, I went straight on to the shooting-
match, where I joined in with a partner, and we
put in several shots for the beef. I was mighty
lucky, and when the match was over I had won
the whole beef. This was on a Saturday, and my
success had put me in the finest humour in the
world. So I sold my part of the beef for five
dollars in the real grit, for I believe that was
before bank-notes was invented ; at least, I had
never heard of any. I now started on to ask for
my wife ; for, though the next Thursday was our
wedding day, I had never said a word to her pa-
rents about it. I had always dreaded the under-
taking so bad, that I had put the evil hour ofi* as

DAVID CROCKETT. 53

long as possible ; and, indeed, I calculated they
knovved me so well, they wouldn't raise any ob-
jection to having me for their son-in-law. I had
a great deal better opinion of myself, I found,
than other people had of me ; but I moved on
with a light heart, and my five dollars jingling
in my pocket, thinking all the time there was
but few greater men in the world than myself.

In this flow of good humour I went ahead, till
I got within about two miles of the place, when I
concluded I would stop awhile at the house of the
girPs uncle ; where I might enquire about the
family, and so forth, and so on. I was indeed
just about ready to consider her uncle^ my uncle ;
and her affairs, my affairs. When I went in, tho',
I found her sister there. I asked how all was at
home ? In a minute I found from her countenance
something was wrong. She looked mortified, and
didn't answer as quick as I thought she ought,
being it was her brother-in-law talking to her.
However, I asked her again. She then burst into
tears, and told me her sister was going to deceive
me ; and that she was to be married to another
man the next day. This was as sudden to me as
a clap of thunder of a bright sunshiny day. It
was the cap-stone of all the afflictions I had ever

E 2

54

THE LIFE OF

met with ; and it seemed to me, that it was more
than any human creature could endure. It struck
me perfectly speechless for some time, and made
me feel so weak, that I thought I should sink
down. I however recovered from my shock after
a little, and rose and started without any cere-
mony, or even bidding any body good-bye. The
young woman followed me out to the gate, and
entreated me to go on to her father's, and said she
would go with me. She said the young man,
who was going to marry her sister, had got his
license, and had asked for her ; but she assured
me her father and mother both preferred me to
him ; and that she had no doubt but that, if I
would go on, I could break off the match. But I
found I could go no further. My heart was
bruised, and my spirits were broken down ; so I
bid her farewell, and turned my lonesome and
miserable steps back again homeward, concluding
that I was only born for hardships, misery, and
disappointment. I now began to think, that in
making me, it was entirely forgotten to make my
mate ; that I was born odd, and should always
remain so, and that nobody would have me. .

But all these reflections did not satisfy my
mind, for I had no peace day nor night for several

DAVID CROCKETT. 55

weeks. My appetite failed me, and I grew daily
worse and worse. They all thought I was sick ;
and so I was. And it was the worst kind of sick-
ness,— a sickness of the heart, and all the tender
parts, produced by disappointed love.

( 57 )

CHAPTER IV.

I CONTINUED in this down-spirited situation
for a good long time, until one day T took my
rifle and started a hunting. While out, I made a
call at the house of a Dutch widow, who had a
daughter that was well enough as to smartness, but
she was as ugly as a stone fence. She was, how-
ever, quite talkative, and soon begun to laugh at
me about my disappointment.

She seemed disposed, though, to comfort me as
much as she could ; and, for that purpose, told
me to keep in good heart, that " there was as good
fish in the sea as had ever been caught out of it."
I doubted this very much ; but whether or not, I
was certain that she was not one of them, for she
was so homely that it almost give me a pai-n in
the eyes to look at her.

But I couldn't help thinking, that she had in-
tended what she had said as a banter for me to
court her ! ! ! — the last thing in creation I could

58 THE LIFE OF

have thought of doing. I felt little inclined to
talk on the subject, it is true ; but, to pass off the
time, I told her I thought I was born odd, and
that no fellow to me could be found. She . pro-
tested against this, and said if I would come to
their reaping, which was not far off, she would
show me one of the prettiest little girls there I
had ever seen. She added that the one who had
deceived me was nothing to be compared with
her. I didn't believe a word of all this, for I
had thought that such a piece of flesh and blood
as she was had never been manufactured, and never
would again. I agreed with her, though, that the
little varment had treated me so bad, that I ought
to forget her, and yet I couldn't do it I con-
cluded the best way to accomplish it was to cut
out again, and see if I could find any other that
would answer me ; and so I told the Dutch girl I
would be at the reaping, and would bring as many
as I could with me.

I employed my time pretty generally in giving
information of it, as far as I could, until the day
came ; and I then offered to work for my old
friend, the Quaker, two days, if he would let his
bound boy go with me one to the reaping. He
refused, and reproved me pretty considerable
roughly for my proposition ; and said, if he was

DAVID CROCKETT. 59

in my place he wouldn't go ; that there would
be a great deal of bad company there ; and that I
had been so good a boy, he would be sorry for me
to get a bad name. But I knowed my promise to
the Dutch gu-], and I was resolved to fulfil it ; so
I shouldered my rifle, and started by myself.
When I got to the place, I found a large company
of men and women, and among them an old Irish
woman, who had a great deal to say. I soon found
out from my Dutch girl, that this old lady was the
mother of the little girl she had promised me,
though I had not yet seen her. She was in an out-
house with some other youngsters, and had not
yet made her appearance. « Her mamma, however,
was no way bashful. She came up to me, and
.|{egan j to praise my red cheeks, and said she had
a sweetheart for me. I had no doubt she had
been told what I come for, and all about it. In
the evening I was introduced to her daughter, and
I must confess, I was plaguy well pleased with
her from the word go. She had a good coun-
tenance, and was very pretty, and I was full bent
on making up an acquaintance with her.

It was not long before the dancing commenced,
and I asked her to join me in a reel. She very
readily consented to do so ; and after we had
finished our dance, I took a seat alongside of

60 THE LIFE OF

her, and entered into a talk. I found her very
interesting ; while I was setting by her, making
as good a use of my time as I could, her mothes
came to us, and very jocularly called me her son-
in-law. This rather confused me, but I looked on
it as a joke of the old lady, and tried to turn it off
as well as I could ; but I took care to pay as
much attention to her through the evening as I
could. I went on the old saying, of salting the
cow to catch the calf. I soon become so much
pleased with this little girl, that I began to think
the Dutch girl had told me the truth, when she
said there was still good fish in the sea.

We continued our frolic till near day, when
we joined in some plays, calculated to amuse
youngsters. I had not often spent a more agreeable
night. In the morning, however, we all had to
part ; and I found my mind had become much bet-
ter reconciled than it had been for a long time.
I went home to the Quaker's, and made a bargain
to work with his son for a low-priced horse. He
was the first one I had ever owned, and I was to
work six months for him. I had been engaged
very closely five or six weeks, when this little
girl run in my mind so, that I concluded I must
go and see her, and find out what sort of people
they were at home. I mounted my horse and

DAVID CROCKETT. gX

away I went to where she lived, and when I got
there 1 found her father a very clever old man,
and the old woman as talkative as ever. She
wanted badly to find out all about me, and as I
thought to see how I would do for her girl. 1 had
not yet seen her about, and I began to feel some
anxiety to know where she was.

In a short time, however, my impatience was
relieved, as she arrived at home from a meeting to
which she had been. There was a young man
with her, who I soon found was disposed to set up
claim to her, as he was so attentive to her that I
could hardly get to slip in a word edgeways. I
began to think I was barking up the wrong tree
again ; but I was determined to stand up to my
rack, fodder or no fodder. And so, to know her
mind a little on the subject, I began to talk about
starting, as I knowed she would then show some
sign, from which I could understand which way
the wind blowed. It was then near night, and
my distance was fifteen miles home. At this my
little girl soon began to indicate to the other gen-
tleman that his room would be the better part of
his company. At length she left him, and came
to me, and insisted mighty hard that I should not
go that evening ; and, indeed, from all her actions

and the attempts she made to get rid of him, I saw

F

62 THE LIFE OF

that she preferred me all holler. But it wasn't
long before I found trouble enough in another
quarter. Her mother was deeply enlisted for my
rival, and I had to fight against her influence as
well as his. But the girl herself was the prize I
was fighting for ; and as she welcomed me, I was
determined to lay siege to her, let what would
happen. I commenced a close courtship, having
cornered her from her old beau ; while he set off*,
looking on, like a poor man at a country frolic,
and all the time almost gritting his teeth with
pure disappointment. But he didn't dare to at-
tempt any thing more, for now I had gotten a
start, and I looked at him every once in a while as
fierce as a wild-cat. I staid with her until Mon-
day morning, and then I put out for home.

It was about two weeks after this that I was
sent for to engage in a wolf hunt, where a great
number of men were to meet, with their dogs and
guns, and where the best sort of sport was expected.
I went as large as life, but I had to hunt in strange
woods, and in a part of the country which was very
thinly inhabited. While I was out it clouded up,
and I began to get scared ; and in a little while I
was so much so, that I didn't know which way
home was, nor any thing about it. I set out the
way I thought it was, but it turned out with me,

DAVID CROCKETT. 63

as it always does with a lost man, I was wrong,
and took exactly the contrary direction from the
right one. And for the information of young
hunters, I will just say, in this place, that when-
ever a fellow gets bad lost, the way home is just
the way he don't think it is. This rule will hit
nine times out of ten. I went ahead, though, about
six or seven miles, when I found night was coming
on fast ; but at this distressing time I saw a little
woman streaking it along through the woods like all
wrath, and so I cut on too, for I was determined
I wouldn't lose sight of her that night any more.
I run on till she saw me, and she stopped ; for she
was as glad to see me as I was to see her, as she
was lost as well as me. When I came up to her,
who should she be but my little girl, that I had
been paying my respects to. She had been out
hunting her father's horses, and had missed her
way, and had no knowledge where she was, or
how far it was to any house, or what way would
take us there. She had been travelling all day,
and was mighty tired ; and I would have taken
her up, and toated her, if it hadn't been that I
wanted her just where I could see her all the
time, for I thought she looked sweeter than sugar;
and by this time I loved her almost well enough
to eat her.

64 - THE LIFE OF

At last I came to a path, that I know'd must go
somewhere, and so we followed it, till we came to
a house, at about dark. Here we staid all night. I
set up all night courting ; and in the morning
we parted. She went to her hopie, from which
we were distant about seven miles, and I to mine,
which was ten miles off.

I now turned in to work again ; and it was
about four weeks before I went back to see her. I
continued to go occasionally, until I had worked
long enough to pay for my horse, by putting in
my gun with my work, to the man I had pur-
chased from ; and then I began to count whether
I was to be deceived again or not. At our next
meeting we set the day for our wedding ; and 1
went to my father's, and made arrangements for an
infair, and returned to ask her parents for her.
When I got there, the old lady appeared to be
mighty wrathy ; and when I broached the subject,
she looked at me as savage as a meat axe. The
old man appeared quite willing, and treated me
very clever. But I hadn't been there long, be-
fore the old woman as good as ordered me out of
her house. I thought I would put her in mind of
old times, and see how that would go with her. I
told her she had called me her son-in-law before I
had attempted to call her my mother-in-law

DAVID CROCKETT. 65

and I thought she ought to cool off. But her
Irish was up too high to do any thing with her,
and so I quit trying. All I cared for was, to have
her daughter on my side, which I knowed was
the case then ; but how soon some other fellow
might knock my nose out of joint again, I couldn't
tell. I however felt rather insulted at the old
lady, and I thought I wouldn't get married in her
house. And so I told her girl, that I would come
the next Thursday, and bring a horse, bridle, and
saddle for her, and she must be ready to go. Her
mother declared I shouldn't have her ; but I
know'd I should, if somebody else didn't get her
before Thursday. I then started, bidding them
good day, and went by the house of a justice of the
peace, who lived on the way to my father's, and
made a bargain with him to marry me.

When Thursday came, all necessary arrange-
ments were made at my father's to receive my
wife ; and so I took my eldest brother and his
wife, and another brother, and a single sister
that I had, and two other young men with me,
and cut out to her father's house to get her. We
went on, until we got within two miles of the
place, where we met a large company that had
heard of the wedding, and were waiting. Some

of that company went on with my brother and sis-

f2

66 " THE LIFE OF

ter, and the young man I had picked out to wait
on me. When they got there, they found the old
lady as wrathy as ever. However the old man
filled their bottle, and the young men returned in
a hurry. I then went on with my company, and
when I arrived I never pretended to dismount from
my horse, but rode up to the door, and asked the
girl if she was ready ; and she said she was. I
then told her to light on the horse I was leading ;
and she did so. Her father, though, had gone out
to the gate, and when I started he commenced
persuading me to stay and marry there ; that he
was entirely willing to the match, and that his
wife, like most women, had entirely too much
tongue ; but that I oughtn't to mind her. I told
him if she would ask me to stay and marry at her
house, I would do so. With that he sent for her,
and after they had talked for some time out by
themselves, she came to me and looked at me
mighty good, and asked my pardon for what she
had said, and invited me stay. She said it was the
first child she had ever had to marry ; and she
couldn't bear to see her go ofi* in that way ; that
if I would light, she would do the best she could
for us. 1 couldn't stand every thing, and so I
agreed, and we got down, and went in. I sent off
then for my parson, and got married in a short

DAVID CROCKETT. g-y

time ; for I was afraid to wait long, for fear of
another defeat. We had as good treatment as
could be expected ; and that night all went on
well. The next day we cut out for my father's,
where we met a large company of people, that had
been waiting a day and a night for our arrival. We
passed the time quite merrily, until the company
broke up ; and having gotten my wife, I thought I
was completely made up, and needed nothing
more in the whole world. But I soon found this
was all a mistake — for now having a wife, 1
wanted every thing else ; and, worse than all, I had
nothing to give for it.

I remained a few days at my father's, and then
went back to my new father-in-law's ; where, to
my surprise, I found my old Irish mother in the
finest humour in the world.

She gave us two likely cows and calves, which,
though it was a small marriage-portion, was still
better than I had expected, and, indeed, it was
about all I ever got. I rented a small farm and
cabin, and went to work ; but I had much trouble
to find out a plan to get any thing to put in my
house. At this time, my good old friend the
Quaker came forward to my assistance, and gave
me an order to a store for fifteen dollars' worth of
such things as my little wife might choose. With

69 THE LIFE OF

this, we fixed up pretty grand, as we thought, and
allowed to get on very well. My wife had a good
wheel, and knowed exactly how to use it. She
was also a good weaver, as most of the Irish are,
whether men or women ; and being very indus-
trious with her wheel, she had, in little or no time,
a fine web of cloth, ready to make up ; and she
was good at that too, and at almost any thing else
that a woman could do.

We worked on for some years, renting ground,
and paying high rent, until I found it wan't
the thing it was cracked up to be ; and that
I couldn't make a fortune at it just at all. So I
concluded to quit it, and cut out for some new
country. In this time we had two sons, and I
found I was better at increasing my family than
my fortune. It was therefore the more necessary
that I should hunt some better place to get along ;
and as I knowed I would have to move at some
time, I thought it was better to do it before my
family got too large, that I might have less to
carry.

The Duck and Elk river counl;ry was just be-
ginning to settle, and I determined to try that.
I had now one old horse, and a couple of two
year old colts. They were both broke to the
halter, and my father-in-law proposed, that, if I

DAVID CROCKETT. (39

went, he would go with me, and take one horse to
help me move. So we all fixed up, and I packed my
two colts with as many of my things as they could
bear ; and away we went across the mountains.
We got on well enough, and arrived safely in
Lincoln county, on the head of the Mulberry fork
of Elk river. I found this a very rich country,
and so new, that game, of different sorts, was very
plenty. It was here that I began to distinguish
myself as a hunter, and to lay the foundation for
all my future greatness ; but mighty little did I
know of what sort it was going to be. Of deer
and smaller game I killed abundance ; but the bear
had been much hunted in those parts before, and
were not so plenty as I could have wished. I
lived here in the years 1809 and ^10, to the best
of my recollection, and then I moved to Franklin
county, and settled on Beans creek, where I re-
mained till after the close of the last war.

( 71 )

CHAPTER V.

I WAS living ten miles below Winchester when
the Creek war commenced ; and as military men
are making so much fuss in the world at this time,
I must give an account of the part I took in the
defence of the country. If it should make me
president, why I can't help it ; such things will
sometimes happen ; and my pluck i$, never " to
seek, nor decline office."

It is true, I had a little rather not ; but yet, if
the government can't get on without taking another
president from Tennessee, to finish the work of
" retrenchment and reform," why, then, Ireckon
I must go in for it. But I must begin about the
war, and leave the other matter for the people to
begin on.

The Creek Indians had commenced their open
hostilities by a most bloody butchery at Fort
Mimms. There had been no war among us for
so long, that but few, who were not too old to
bear arms, knew any thing about the business. I,

72 '^HE LIFE OF

for one, had often thought about war, and had

often heard it described ; and I did verily be-
lieve in my own mind, that I couldn't fight in
that way at all ; but my after experience con-
vinced me that this was all a notion. For when I
heard of the mischief which was done at the fort,
I instantly felt like going, and I had none of the
dread of dying that I expected to feel. In a few
days a general meeting of the militia was called
for the purpose of raising volunteers ; and when
the day arrived for that meeting, my wife, who
had heard me say I meant to go to the war, be-
gan to beg me not to turn out. She. said she was
a stranger in the parts where we lived, had no
connexions living near her, and that she and our
little children would be left in a lonesome and
unhappy situation if I went away. It was mighty
hard to go against such arguments as these ; but
my countrymen had been murdered, and I knew
that the next thing would be, that the Indians
would be scalping the women and children all
about there, if we didn't put a stop to it. I rea-
soned the case with her as well as I could, and
told her, that if every man would wait till his
wife got willing for him to go to war, there would
be no fighting done, until we would all be killed
in our own houses ; that I was as able to go as

DAVID CROCKETT. 73

any man in the world ; and that I believed it was
a duty I owed to my country. Whether she was
satisfied with this reasoning or not, she did not
tell me ; but seeing I was bent on it, all she did
was to cry a little, and turn about to her work.
The truth is, my dander was up, and nothing but
war could bring it right again.

I went to Winchester, where the muster was to
be, and a great many people had collected, for
there was as much fuss among the people about
the war as there is now about moving the de-
posites. When the men were paraded, a lawyer
by the name of Jones addressed us, and closed
by turning out himself, and enquiring, at the same
time, who among "us felt like we could fight In-
dians ? This was the same Mr. Jones who after-
wards served in Congress, from the state of Ten-
nessee. He informed us he wished to raise a
company, and that then the men should meet and
elect their own officers. I believe I was about the
second or third man that step'd out ; but on
marching up and down the regiment a few times,
we found we had a large company. We volun-
teered for sixty days, as it was supposed our
services would not be longer wanted. A day or
two after this we met and elected Mr. Jones our

captain, and also elected our other officers. We

G

74 THE LIFE OF

then received orders to start on the next Monday
week ; before which time, I had fixed as well as I
could to go, and my wife had equip'd me as well
as she was able for the camp. The time arrived ; I
I took a parting farewell of my wife and my lit-
tle boys, mounted my horse, and set sail, to join
my company. Expecting to be gone only a short
time, I took no more clothing with me than I
supposed would be necessary, so that if I got into
an Indian battle, I might not be pestered with any
unnecessary plunder, to prevent my having a fair
shake with them. We all met and went ahead,
till we passed Huntsville, and camped at a large
spring called Beaty's spring. Here we staid for
several days, in which time the troops began to
collect from all quarters. At last we mustered
about thirteen hundred strong, all mounted volun-
teers, and all determined to fight, judging from
myself, for I felt wolfish all over. I verily be-
lieve the whole army was of the real grit. Our
captain didn't want any other sort ; and to try
them he several times told his men, that if any of
them wanted to go back home, they might do so
at any time, before they were regularly mustered
into the service. But he had the honour to com-
mand all his men from first to last, as not one of
them left him.

DAVID CROCKETT. 75

Gen'l. Jackson had not yet left Nashville with
his old foot volunteers, that had gone with him to
Natchez in 1S12, the year before. While we re-
mained at the spring, a Major Gibson came, and
wanted some volunteers to go with him across the
Tennessee river and into the Creek nation, to find
out the movements of the Indians. He came to
my captain, and asked for two of his best woods-
men, and such as were best with a rifle. The cap-
tain pointed me out to him, and said he would be
security that I would go as far as the major would
himself, or any other man. I willingly engaged
to go with him, and asked him to let me choose
my own mate to go with me, which he said I might
do. I chose a young man by the name of George
Russell, a son of old Major Russell, of Tennessee.
I called him up, but Major Gibson said he thought
he hadn't beard enough to please him, — he want-
ed men, and not boys. I must confess I was a lit-
tle nettled at this ; for I know'd George Russell,
and I know'd there was no mistake in him ; and
I didn't think that courage ought to be measured
by the beard, for fear a goat would have the prefer-
ence over a man. 1 told the major he was on the
wrong scent ; that Russell could go as far as he
could, and I must have him along. He saw I was
a little wrathy, and said I had the best chance of

76 THE LITE OF

knowing, and agreed that it should be as I wanted
it. He told us to be ready early in the morning
for a start ; and so we were. We took our camp
equipage, mounted our horses, and, thirteen in
number, including the major, we cut out. We
went on, and crossed the Tennessee river at a
place called Ditto's Landing ; and then traveled
about seven miles further, and took up camp for
the night. Here a man by the name of John
Haynes overtook us. He had been an Indian
trader in that part of the nation, and was well ac-
quainted with it. He went with us as a pilot. The
next morning, however, Major Gibson and myself
concluded we should separate and take different
directions to see what discoveries we could make ;
so he took seven of the men, and I five, making
thirteen in all, including myself. He was to go by
the house of a Cherokee Indian, named Dick
Brown, and I was to go by Dick's father's ; and
getting all the information we could, we were to
meet that evening where the roads came together,
fifteen miles the other side of Brown's. At old
Mr. Brown's I got a half blood Cherokee to agree
to go with me, whose name was Jack Thomp-
son. He was not then ready to start, but was to
fix that evening, and overtake us at the fork road
where I was to meet Major Gibson. I know'd it

DAVID CROCKETT. 77

wouldn't he safe to camp right at the road ;
and so I told Jack, that when he got to the
fork he must holler like an owl, and I would
answer him in the same way ; for I know'd
it would be night before he got there. I and
my men then started, and went on to the
place of meeting, but Major Gibson was not there.
We waited till almost dark, but still he didn't
come. We then left the Indian trace a little dis-
tance, and turning into the head of a hollow, we
struck up camp. It was about ten o'clock at night,
when I heard my owl, and I answered him. Jack
soon found us, and we determined to rest there
during the night. We staid also next morning till
after breakfast : but in vain, for the major didn't
still come.

I told the men we had set out to hunt a fight,
and I wouldn't go back in that way ; that we
must go ahead, and see what the red men were at.
We started, and went to a Cherokee town about
twenty miles off; and after a short stay there, we
pushed on to the house of a man by the name of
Radcliff. He was a white man, but had married
a Creek woman, and lived just in the edge of the
Creek nation. He had two sons, large likely fel-
lows, and a great deal of potatoes and corn, and,

indeed-, almost every thing else to go on ; so we

g2

78 THE LIFE OF

fed our horses and got dinner with him, and
seemed to be doing mighty well. But he was
bad scared all the time. He told us there had
been ten painted warriors at his house only an
hour before, and if we were discovered there, they
would kill us, and his family with us. I replied
to him, that my business was to hunt for just
such fellows as he had described, and I was de-
termined not to go back until I had done it. Our
dinner being over, we saddled up our horses, and
made ready to start. But some of my small
company I found were disposed to return. I told
them, if we were to go back then, we should
never hear the last of it ; and I was determined
to go ahead. I knowed some of them would go
with me, and that the rest were afraid to go back
by themselves ; and so we pushed on to the camp
of some of the friendly Creeks, which was dis-
tant about eight miles. The moon was about the
full, and the night was clear ; we therefore had
the benefit of her light from night to morning,
and I knew if we were placed in such danger as
to make a retreat necessary, we could travel by
night as well as in the day time.

We had not gone very far, when we met two
negroes, well mounted on Indian ponies, and each
with a good rifle. They had been taken from

DAVID CROCKETT. 79

their owners by the Indians, and were running
away from them, and trying to get back to their
masters again. They were brothers, both very
large and likely, and could talk Indian as well as
English. One of them I sent on to Ditto's Land-
ing, the other I took back with me. It was after
dark when we got to the camp, where we found
about forty men, women, and children.

They had bows and arrows, and I turned in to
shooting with their boys by a pine light. In this
way we amused ourselves very w^ell for a while ;
but at last the negro, who had been talking to the
Indians, came to me and told me they were very
m.uch alarmed, for the "red sticks," as they called
the war party of the Creeks, would come and find
us there ; and, if so, we should all be killed. I
directed him to tell them that I would watch, and
if one would come that night, I would carry the
skin of his head home to make me a mockasin.
When he made this communication, the Indians
laughed aloud. At about ten o'clock at night we
all concluded to try to sleep a little ; but that our
horses might be ready for use, as the treasurer said
of the drafts on the United States' bank, on cer-
tain " contingences," we tied them up with our
saddles on them, and every thing to our hand, if
in the night our quarters should get uncomfort-

80 THE LIFE OF

able. We lay down with our guns in our arms,
and I had just gotten into a dose of sleep, when I
heard the sharpest scream that ever escaped the
throat of a human creature. It was more like a
wrathy painter than any thing else. The negro
understood it, and he sprang to me ; for tho' I
heard the noise well enough, yet I wasn't wide
awake enough to get up. So the negro caught
me, and said the red sticks was coming. I rose
quicker then, and asked what was the matter ?
Our negro had gone and talked with the Indian
who had just fetched the scream, as he come into
camp, and learned from him, that the war party
had been crossing the Coosa river all day at the
Ten islands ; and were going on to meet Jack-
son, and this Indian had come as a runner. This
news very much alarmed the friendly Indians in
camp, and they were all off in a few minutes. I
felt bound to make this intelligence known as
soon as possible to the army we had left at the
landing ; and so we all mounted our horses, and
put out in a long lope to make our way back to
that place. We were about sixty-five miles off.
We went on to the same Cherokee town we had
visited on our way out, having first called at Rad-
cliff^s, who was off with his family ; and at the
the town we found large fires burning, but not a

DAVID CROCKETT. Ql

single Indian was to be seen. They were all gone.
These circumstances were calculated to lay our
dander a little, as it appeared we must be in great
danger ; though we could easily have licked any
force of not more than five to one. But we ex-
pected the whole nation would be on us, and
against such fearful odds we were not so rampant
for a fight.

We therefore staid only a short time in the light
of the fires about the town, preferring the light of
the moon and the shade of the woods. We pushed
on till we got again to old Mr. Brown's, which
was still about thirty miles from where we had
left the main army. When we got there, the
chickens were just at the first crowing for day.
We fed our horses, got a morsel to eat ourselves,
and again cut out. About ten o'clock in the
morning we reached the camp, and I reported to
Col. Coffee the news. He didn't seem to mind
my report a bit, and this raised my dander higher
than ever ; but I knowed I had to be on my best
behaviour, and so I kept it all to myself; though
I was so mad that I was burning inside like a tar-
. kiln, and I wonder that the smoke hadn't been
pouring out of me at all points.

Major Gibson hadn't yet returned, and we all
began to think he was killed ; and that night they

, 82 THE LIFE OF '

put out a dobble guard. The next day the major
got in, and brought a worse tale than I had, though
he stated the same facts, so far as I went. This
seemed to put our colonel all in a fidget; and it
convinced me, clearly, of one of the hateful ways
of the world. When I made my report, it wasn't
believed, because I was no officer ; I was no great
man, but just a poor soldier. But when the same
thing was reported by Major Gibson ! ! why, then,
it was all as true as preaching, and the colonel be-
lieved it every word.

He, therefore, ordered breastworks to be thrown
up, near a quarter of a mile long, and sent an ex-
press to Fayetteville, where General Jackson and
his troops was, requesting them to push on like the
very mischief, for fear we should all be cooked up
to a cracklin before they could get there. Old
Hickory-face made a forced march on getting the
news ; and on the next day, he and his men got
into camp, with their feet all blistered from the
effects of their swift journey. The volunteers,
therefore, stood guard altogether, to let them rest.

DAVID CROCKETT. 33

CHAPTER VI.

About eight hundred of the volunteers, and of
that number I was one, were now sent back, crossing
the Tennessee river, and on through Huntsville,
so as to cross the river again at another place,
and to get on the Indians in another direction.
After we passed Huntsville, we struck on the
river at the Muscle Shoals, and at a place on them
called Melton's Bluff. This river is here about
two miles wide, and a rough bottom ; so much
so, indeed, in many places, as to be dangerous;
and in fording it this time, we left several of the
horses belonging to our men, with their feet fast in
the crevices of the rocks. The men, whose horses
were thus left, went ahead on foot. We pushed
on till we got to what was called the Black War-
rior's town, which stood near the very spot where
Tuscaloosa now stands, which is the seat of go-
vernment for the state of Alabama.

This Indian town was a large one ; but when
we arrived we found the Indians had all left it.

84 THE LIFE OF

There was a large field of corn standing out, and
a pretty good supply in some cribs. There was
also a fine quantity of dried beans, which were
very acceptable to us ; and without delay we se-
cured them as well as the corn, and then burned
the town to ashes ; after which we left the place.

In the field where we gathered the corn we
saw plenty of fresh Indian tracks, and we had no
doubt they had been scared off by our arrival.

We then went on to meet the main army at the
fork road, where I was first to have met Major
Gibson. We got that evening as far back as the
encampment we had made the night before we
reached the Black Warrior's town, which we had
just destroyed. The next day we were entirely
out of meat. I went to Col. Coffee, who was then
in command of us, and asked his leave to hunt as
we marched. He gave me leave, but told me
to take mighty good care of myself. I turned
aside to hunt, and had not gone far when I found
a deer that had just been killed and skinned, and
his flesh was still warm and smoking. From this
I was sure that the Indian who had killed it had
been gone only a very few minutes ; and though I"
was never much in favour of one hunter stealing
from another, yet meat was so scarce in camp, that
I thought I must go in for it. So I just took up

DAVID CROCKETT. 85

the deer on my horse before me, and carried it
on till night. I could have sold it for almost any
price I would have asked ; but this wasn't my
rule, neither in peace nor war. Whenever I had
any thing, and saw a fellow being suffering, I was
more anxious to relieve him than to benefit my-
self. And this is one of the true secrets of my
being a poor man to this day. But it is my way ;
and while it has often left me with an empty jDurse,
which is as near the devil as any thing else I have
seen, yet it has never left my heart empty of con-
solations which money couldn't buy, — the conso-
lations of having sometimes fed the hungry and
covered the naked.

I gave all my deer away, except a small part I
kept for myself, and just sufficient to make a good
supper for my mess ; for meat was getting to be
a rarity to us all. We had to live mostly on
parched corn. The next day we marched on, and
at night took up camp near a large cane brake.
While here, I told my mess I would again try for
some meat ; so I took my rifle and cut out,
but hadn't gone far, when I discovered a large
gang of hogs. I shot one of them down in his
tracks, and the rest broke directly towards the
camp. In a few minutes, the guns began to roar,

as bad as if the whole army had been in an In-

H

gg THE LIFE or*

diaii battle ; and the hogs to squeal as bad as the
pig did, when the devil turned barber. I shoul-
dered my hog, and went on to the camp ; and
when I got there I found they had killed a good
many of the hogs, and a fine fat cow into the
bargain, that had broke out of the cane brake.
We did very well that night, and the next morn-
ing marched on to a Cherokee town, where our
officers stop'd, and gave the inhabitants an order
on Uncle Sam for their cow, and the hogs we had
killed. The next day we met the main army,
having had, as we thought, hard times, and a
plenty of them, though we had yet seen hardly
the beginning of trouble.

After our meeting we went on to Radcliff's,
where I had been before while out as a spy ; and
when we got there, we found he had hid all his
provisions. We also got into the secret, that he
was the very rascal who had sent the runner to
the Indian camp, with the news that the "red
sticks" were crossing at the Ten Islands ; and
that his object was to scare me and my men away,
and send us back with a false alarm.

To make some atonement for this, we took the
old scroundrell's two big sons with us, and made
them serve in the war.

We then marched to a place, which we called

DAVID CROCKETT. g7

Camp Wills ; and here it was that Captain Cannon
I was promoted to a colonel, and Colonel Coffee to
, a general. We then marched to the Ten Islands,
on the Coosa river, where we established a fort ;
and our spy conipaflies were sent out. They soon
made prisoners of Bob Catala and his warriors,
and, in a few days afterwards, we heard of some
Indians in a town about eight miles off. So we
mounted our horses, and put out for that town,
under the direction of two friendly Creeks we had
taken for pilots. We had also a Cherokee colonel,
Dick Brown, and some of his men with us. When
we got near the town we divided ; one of our
pilots going with each division. And so we
passed on each side of the town, keeping near
to it, until our lines met -on the far side. We
then closed up at both ends, so as to surround
it completely ; and then we sent Captain Ham-
mond's company of rangers to bring on the af-
fray. He had advanced near the town, when the
Indians saw him, and they raised the yell, and
eame running at him like so many red devils.
The main army was now formed in a hollow
square around the town, and they pursued Ham-
mond till they came in reach of us. We then
gave them a fire, and they returned it, and then
ran back into their town. We began to close on

gg THE LIFE OF

the town by making our files closer and closer,
and the Indians soon saw they were our pro-
perty. So most of them wanted us to take them
prisoners ; and their squav/s and all would run
and take hold of any of us they could, and give
themselves up. T saw seven squaws have hold
of one man, which made me think of the Scrip-
tures. So I hollered out the Scriptures was ful-
filling ; that there was seven women holding to
one man's coat tail. But I believe it was a hunt-
ing-shirt all the time. We took them all prison-
ers that came out to us in this way ; but I saw some
warriors run into a house, until I counted forty-
six of them. We pursued them until we got near
the house, w^hen we saw a squaw sitting in the door,
and she placed her feet against the bow she had in
her hand, and then took an arrow, and, raising her
feet, she drew with all her might, and let fly at us, and
she killed a man, whose name, I believe, was Moore.
He was a lieutenant, and his death so enraged
us all, that she was fired on, and had at least
twenty balls blown through her. This was the
first man I ever saw killed with a bow and ar-
row. We now shot them like dogs ; and then
set the house on fire, and burned it up with the
forty-six warriors in it. I recollect seeing a
boy who was shot down near the house. His

DAVID CROCKETT. gg

arm and thigh was hrokcn, and he was so near
the burning house that the grease was stewing
out of him. In this situation he was still trying
to crawl along ; but not a murmur escaped him,
though he was only about twelve years old. So
sullen is the Indian, when his dander is up, that
he had sooner die than make a noisej or ask for
quarters.

The number that we took prisoners, being
added to the number we killed, amounted to one
hundred and eighty-six ; though I don't remem-;
ber the exact number of either. We had five
of our men killed. We then returned to our
camp, at which our fort was erected, and known
by the name of Fort Strother. No provisions
had yet reached us, and we had now been for
several days on half rations. However we went
back to our Indian town on the next day, when
many of the carcasses of the Indians were still to
be seen. They looked very awful, for the burn-
ing had not entirely consumed them, but given
them a very terrible appearance, at least what re-
mained of them. It was, somehow or other,
found out that the house had a potatoe cellar under
it, and an immediate examination was made, for
we were all as hungry as wolves. We found a

fine chance of potatoes in it, and hunger compel-

k2

90

THE J.lFE OF

led us to eat them, though I had a little rather not,
if I could have helped it, for the oil of the Indians
we had burned up on the day before had run
down on them, and they looked like they had
been stewed with fat meat. We then again re-
turned to the army, and remained there for seve-
ral days almost starving, as all our beef was gone.
We commenced eating the beef-hides, and con-
tinued to eat every scrap we could lay our hands
on. At length an Indian came to our guard one
night, and hollered, and said he wanted to see
" Captain Jackson." He was conducted to the
general's markee, into which he entered, and in
a few minutes we received orders to prepare for
marching.

In an hour we were all ready, and took up the
line of march. We crossed the Coosa river, and
went on in the direction to Fort Taladega. When
we arrived near the place, we met eleven hundred
painted warriors, the very choice of the Creek na-
tion. They had encamped near the fort, and had
informed the friendly Indians who were in it, that
if they didn't come out, and fight with them
against the whites, they would take their fort and
all their ammunition and provision. The friendly
party asked three days to consider of it, and agreed
that if on the third day they didn't come out

DAVID CROCKETT. 91

ready to fight with them, they miglit take their
fort. Thus they put them off. They then imme-
diately started their runner to General Jackson,
and he and the army pushed over, as I have just
before stated.

The camp of warriors had their spies out, and
discovered us coming, some time before we got to
the fort. They then went to the friendly Indians,
and told them Captain Jackson was coming, and
had a great many fine horses, and blankets, and
guns, and every thing else ; and if they would
come out and help to whip him, and to take his
plunder, it should all be divided with those in the
fort. They promised that when Jackson came,
they would then come out and help to whip him.
It was about an hour by sun in the morning, when
we got near the fort. We were piloted by friend-
ly Indians, and divided as w^e had done on a former
occasion, so as to go to the right and left of the
fort, and, consequently, of the warriors w^ho were
camped near it. Our lines marched on, as before,
till they met in front, and then closed in the rear,
forming again into a hollow square. We then
sent on old Major Russell, with his spy company,
to bring on the battle ; Capt. Evans' company
went also. When they got near the fort, the top
of it was lined with the friendly Indians, crying

92 THE LIFE OP

out as loud as they could roar, "How-dy-do,
brother, how-dy-do ?" They kept this up till Ma-
jor Russel had passed by the fort, and was moving
on towards the- warriors. They were all painted
as red as scarlet, and were just as naked as they
were born. They had concealed themselves under
the bank of a branch, that ran partly around the
fort, in the m.anner of a half moon. Russel was
going right into their circle, for he couldn't see
them, while the Indians on the top of the fort were
trying every plan to show him his danger. But
he couldn't understand them. At last, two of
them jumped from it, and ran, and took his horse
by the bridle, and pointing to where they were,
told him there were thousands of them lying under
the bank. This brought them to a halt, and about
this moment the Indians fired on them, and came
rushing forth like a cloud of Egyptian locusts, and
screaming like all the young devils had been
turned loose, with the old devil of all at their
head. Russel's company quit their horses, and
took into the fort, and their horses ran up to our
line, which was then in full view. The warriors
then came yelling on, meeting us, and continued
till they were within shot of us, when we fired
and killed a considerable number of them. They
then broke like a gang of steers, and ran across to

DAVID CROCKETT. 93

our other line, where they were again fired on ; and
so we kcDt them runnina; from one line to the
other, constantly under a heavy fire, until we had
killed upwards of four hundred of them. They
fought with guns, and also with their bows and
arrows ; but at length they made their escape
through a part of our line, which was made up of
drafted militia, which broke ranks, and they passed.
We lost fifteen of our men, as brave fellows as
ever lived or died. We buried them all in one
grave, and started back to our fort ; but before we
got there, two more of our men died of wounds
they had received ; making our total loss seven-
teen good fellows in that battle.

We now remained at the fort a few days, but
no provision came yet, and we were all likely to
perish. The weather also began to get very cold ;
and our clothes were nearly worn out, and horses
getting very feeble and poor. Our officers pro-
posed to Gen'l. Jackson to let us return home and
get fresh horses, and fresh clothing, so as to be
better prepared for another campaign ; for our
sixty days had long been out, and that was the
lime we entered for.

But the general took " the responsibility" on
himself, and refused. We were, however, deter-
mined to go, as I am to put back the deposites, if

94 THE LIFE 0.

I can. ^Vith this, the general issued his orders
against it, as he has against the bank. But we
began to fix for a start, as provisions were too
scarce ; just as Clay, and Webster, and myself are
preparing to fix bank matters, on account of the
scarcity of money. The general went and placed
his cannon on a bridge we had to cross, and or-
dered out his regulars and drafted men to keep
us from crossing ; just as he has planted his Globe
and K. C. to alarm the bank men, while his regu-
lars and militia in Congress are to act as artillery
men. But when the militia started to guard the
bridge, they would holler back to us to bring
their knapsacks along when we come, for they
wanted to go as bad as we did ; just as many a
good fellow now wants his political knapsack
brought along, that if, when we come to vote, he
sees he has a fair shake to go, he may join in
and help us to take back the deposites.

We got ready and moved on till we came neai
the bridge, where the general's men were all
strung along on both sides, just like the office-
holders are now, to keep us from getting along
to the help of the country and the people. But
we all had our flints ready picked, and our guns
ready primed, that if we were fired on we might
fight our way through, or all die together; just

DAVID CROCKETT. 95

as we are now determined to save the coun-
try from ready ruin, or to sink down with it.
When we came still nearer the bridge we heard
the guards cocking their guns, and we did the
salne ; just as we have had it in Congress, while
the " government" regulars and the people's vo-
lunteers have all been setting their political trig-
gers. But, after all, we marched boldly on, and
not a gun was fired, nor a life lost ; just as I hope
it will be again, that we shall not be afraid of
the general's Globe, nor his K. C, nor his regu-
lars, nor their trigger snapping ; but just march
boldly over the executive bridge, and take the
deposites back where the law placed them, and
where they ought to be. When we had passed,
no further attempt was made to stop us ; but the
general said, we were '^ the damned'st volunteers
he had ever seen in his life ; that we would vo-
lunteer and go out and fight, and then at our
pleasure would volunteer and go home again, in
spite of the devil." But we went on ; and near
Huntsville we met a reinforcement who were
going on to join the army. It consisted of a re-
I giment of volunteers, and was under the com-
mand of some one whose name I can't remember.
They were sixty-day volunteers.

We got home pretty safely, and in a short time

95 THE LIFE OF

we had procured fresh horses and a supply of
clothing better suited for the season ; and then we
returned to Fort Deposite, where our officers held
a sort of a " national convention''^ on the subject
of a message they had received from General
Jackson, — demanding that on our return we
should serve out six months. We had already
served three months instead of two, which was
the time \ve had volunteered for. On the next
morning the officers reported to us the conclusions
they had come to ; and told us, if any of us felt
bound to go on and serve out the six months, we
could do so ; but that they intended to go back
home. I knowed if I went back home I couldn't
rest, for I felt it my duty to be out ; and when out
was, somehow or other, always delighted to be in
the very thickest of the danger. A few of us,
therefore, determined to push on and join the
army. The number I do not recollect, but it was
very small.

When we got out there, I joined Major Russel's
company of spies. Before we reached the place.
General Jackson had started. We went on like-
wise, and overtook him at a place where we esta-
blished a fort, called Fort Williams, and leaving
men to guard it, we went ahead ; intending to go
to a place called the Horse-shoe bend of the Tala-

DAVID CROCKETT. gy

poosa river. When we came near that place, we
began to find Indian sign plenty, and we struck
up camp for the night. About two hours before
day, we heard our guard firing, and we were all
up in little or no time. We mended up our camp
fires, and then fell back in the dark, expecting to
see the Indians pouring in ; and intending, when
they should do so, to shoot them by the light of
our own fires. But it happened that they did not
rush in as we had expected, but commenced a fire on
us as we were. We were encamped in a hollow
square, and we not only returned the fire, but
continued to shoot as well as we could in the
dark, till day broke, when the Indians disap-
peared. The only guide we had in shooting was
to notice the flash of their guns, and then shoot as
directly at the place as we could guess.

In this scrape we had four men killed, and se-
veral wounded ; but whether we killed any of
the Indians or not we never could tell, for it is
their custom always to carry off their dead, if
they can possibly do so. We buried ours, and
then made a large log heap over them, and set it
on fire, so that the place of their deposite might
not be known to the savages, who, we knew,
would seek for them, that they might scalp them.

, We made some horse litters for our wounded, and

I

98 THE LIFE OF

took up a retreat. We moved on till we came to
a large creek which we had to cross ; and about
half of our men had crossed, when the Indians
commenced firing on our left wing, and they
kept it up very warmly. We had left Major
Russel and his brother at the camp we had moved
from that morning, to see what discovery they
could make as to the movements of the Indians ;
and about this time, while a warm fire was kept
up on our left, as I have just stated, the major
came up in our rear, and was closely pursued by
a large number of Indians, who immediately
commenced a fire on our artillery men. They
hid themselves behind a large log, and could kill
one of our men almost every shot, they being in
open ground and exposed. The worst of all was,
two of our colonels just at this trying moment
left their men, and by a forced march, crossed
the creek out of the reach of the fire. Their
names, at this late day, would do the world no
good, and my object is history alone, and not the
slightest interference with character. An oppor-
tunity was now afforded for Governor Carroll to
distinguish himself, and on this occasion he did
so, by greater bravery than I ever saw any other
man display. In truth, I believe, as firmly as I
do that General Jackson is president, that if it

DAVID CROCKETT. 99

hadn't been for Carroll, we should all have been
genteely licked that time, for we were in a devil
of a fix ; part of our men on one side of the
creek, and part on the other, and the Indians all
the time pouring it on us, as hot as fresh mustard
to a sore shin. I will not say exactly that the old
general was whip'd ; but I will say, that if we es-
caped it at all, it was like old Henry Snider going to
heaven, " mit a tam tite squeeze.' ' I think he would
confess himself, that he was nearer whip'd this
time than he was at any other, for I know that
all the world couldn't make him acknowledge that
he was pointedly whip'd. I know I was mighty
glad when it was over, and the savages quit us,
for I had begun to think there was one behind
every tree in the woods.

We buried our dead, the number of whom I
have also forgotten ; and again made horse litters
to carry our wounded, and so we put out, and re-
turned to Fort Williams, from which place we had
started. In the mean time, my horse had got crip-
pled, and was unfit for service, and as another rein-
forcement had arrived, I thought they could get
along without me for a short time; so I got a furlough
and went home, for we had had hard times again
on this hunt, and I began to feel as though I had

100 THL LIFE OF

done Indian fighting enougli for one time. I re-
mained at home until after the army had returned
to the Horse-shoe bend, and fought the battle
there. But not being with them at that time, ot
course no history of that fight can be expected
of me.

I

DAVID CROCKETT. JQl

CHAPTER VII.

Soon after this, an army was to be raised to go
to Pensacola, and I determined to go again with
them, for I wanted a small taste of British fight-
ing, and I supposed they would be there.

Here again the entreaties of my wife were
thrown in the way of my going, but all in vain;
for I always had a way of just going ahead, at
whatever I had a mind to. One of my neigh-
bours, hearing I had determined to go, came to
me, and offered me a hundred dollars to go in
his place as a substitute, as he had been drafted.
I told him I was better raised than to hire myself
out to be shot at ; but that I would go, and he
should go too, and in that way the government
would have the services of us both. But we
didn't call GeneralJackson "the government" in
those days, though we used to go and fight un-
der him in the war.

I fixed up, and joined old Major Russel again ;

but we couldn't start with the main army, but

l2

102 THE LIFE OF

followed on, in a little time, after them. In a
day or two, w^e had a hundred and thirty men
in our company; and we went over and crossed
the Muscle Shoals at the same place where I had
crossed when first out, and when we burned the
Black Warriors' town. We passed through the
Choctaw and Chickesaw nations, on to Fort Ste-
phens, and from thence to w^hat is called the
Cut-off, at the junction of the Tom-Bigby with
the Alabama river. This place is near the old
Fort Mimms, where the Indians committed the
great butchery at the commencement of the war.
We were here about two days behind the main
army, who had left their horses at the Cut-off,
and taken it on foot ; and they did this because
there was no chance for forage between there
and Pensacola. We did the same, leaving men
enough to take care of our horses, and cut out
on foot for that place. It was about eighty miles
off ; but in good heart we shouldered our guns,
blankets, and provisions, and trudged merrily on.
About twelve o'clock the second day, we reached
the encampment of the main army, which was
situated on a hill, overlooking the city of Pen-
sacola. My commander, Major Russel, was a
great favourite with Gen'l. Jackson, and our arri-
val was hailed with great applause, though we

DAVID CROCKETT. 103

were a little after the feast ; for they had taken
the town and fort before we got there. That even-
ing we went down^nto the towm, and could see
the British fleet lying in sight of the place. We
got some liquor, and took a " horn" or so, and
went back to the camp. We remained there that
night, and in the morning we marched back to-
wards the Cut-off. We pursued this direction till we
reached old Fort Mimms, where we remained two
or three days. It was here that Major Russel was
promoted from his command, which was only that
of a captain of spies, to the command of a major
in the line. He had been known long before at
home as old Major Russel, and so we all con-
tinued to call him in the army. A Major Childs,
from East Tennessee, also commanded a battalion,
and his and the one Russel was now appointed to
command, composed a regiment, which, by agree-
ment with General Jackson, was to quit his army
and go to the south, to kill up the Indians on the
Scamby river.

General Jackson and the main army set out
the next morning for New Orleans, and a Colonel
Blue took command of the regiment which I
have before described. We remained, however,
a few days after the general's departure, and then
started also on our route.

104 THE LIFE OF

As it gave rise to so much war and blood-
shed, it may not be improper here to give a little
description of Fort Mimms, and the manner in
which the Indian war commenced. The fort was
built right in the middle of a large old field, and
in it the people had been forted so long and so
quietly, that they didn't apprehend any danger at
all, and had, therefore, become quite careless. A
small negro boy, whose business it was to bring
up the calves at milking time, had been out for
that purpose, and on coming back, he said he saw
a great many Indians. At this the inhabitants
took the alarm, and closed their gates and placed
out their guards, which they continued for a few
days. But finding that no attack was made, they
concluded the little n^gro had lied ; and again
threw their gates open, and set all their hands out
to work their fields. The same boy was out again
on the same errand, when, returning in great
haste and alarm, he informed them that he had
seen the Indians as thick as trees in the woods.
He was not believed, but was tucked up to receive
a flogging for the supposed lie ; and was actually
getting badly licked at the very moment when
the Indians came in a troop, loaded with rails,
with which they stop'd all the port-holes of the
fort on one side except the bastion ; and then they

DAVID CROCKETT. X05

fell in to cutting down the picketing. Those in-
side the fort had only the bastion to shoot from,
as all the other holes were spiked up ; and they
shot several of the Indians, while engaged in cut-
ting. But as fast as one would fall, another would
seize up the axe and chop away, until they suc-
ceeded in cutting down enough of the picketing
to admit them to enter. They then began to rush
through, and continued until they were all in.
They immediately commenced scalping, without
regard to age or sex ; having forced the inhabit-
ants up to one side of the fort, where they carried
on the work of death as a butcher would in a
slaughter pen.

The scene was particularly described to me by
a 3^oung man who was in the fort when it hap-
pened, and subsequently went on with us to Pensa-
cola. He said that he saw his father, and mother,
his four sisters, and the same number of brothers,
all butchered in the most shocking manner, and
that he made his escape by running over the heads
of the crowd, who were against the fort wall, to
the top of the fort, and then jumping off, and
taking to the woods. He was closely pursued by
several Indians, until he came to a small byo,
across which there was a log. He knew the log
was hollow on the under side, so he slip'd under

106 THE LIFE OF

the log and hid himself. He said he heard the
Indians walk over him several times back and
forward. He remained, nevertheless, still till
night, when he came out, and finished his escape.
The name of this young man has entirely escaped
my recollection, though his tale greatly excited
my feelings. But to return to my subject. The
regiment marched from where Gen'l. Jackson had
left us to Fort Montgomery, which was distant
from Fort Mimms about a mile and a half, and
there we remained for some days.

Here we supplied ourselves pretty well with
beef, by killing wild cattle which had formerly
belonged to the people who perished in the fort,
but had gone wild after their massacre.

When we marched from Fort Montgomery, we
went some distance back towards Pensacola j then
we turned to the left, and passed through a poor
piny country, till we reached the Scamby river,
near which we encamped. We had about one
thousand men, and as a part of that number, one
hundred and eighty-six Chickesaw and Choctaw
Indians with us. That evening a boat landed
jfrom Pensacola, bringing many articles that were
both good and necessary ; such as sugar and coffee,
and liquors of all kinds. The same evening, the
Indians we had along proposed to cross the river,

DAVID CROCKETT. Kjj

and the officers thinking it might be well for them
to do so, consented ; and Major Russell went
with them, taking sixteen white men, of which
number I was one. We camped on the opposite
bank that night, and early in the morning we set
out. We had not gone far before we came to a
place where the whole country was covered with
water, and looked like a sea. We didn't stop for
this, tho', but just put in like so many spaniels,
and waded on, sometimes up to our armpits, until
we reached the pine hills, which made our dis-
tance through the water about a mile and a half.
Here we struck up a fire to warm ourselves, for it
was cold, and we were chilled through by being
so long in the water. We again moved on, keep-
ing our spies out ; two to our left near the bank of
the river, two straight before us, and two others on
our right. We had gone in this way about six miles
up the river, wiien our spies on the left came to
us leaping the brush like so many old bucks, and
informed us that they had discovered a camp of
Creek Indians, and that we must kill them. Here
we paused for a few minutes, and the prophets
pow-w^owed over their men awhile, and then got
out their paint, and painted them, all according to
their custom when going into battle. They then
brought their paint to old Major Russell, and said

108 THE LIFE OF

to him, that as he was an officer, he must be paint-
ed too. He agreed, and they painted him just as
they had done themselves. We let the Indians
understand that we white men would first fire on
the camp, and then fall back, so as to give the In-
dians a chance to rush in and scalp them. The
Chickasavvs marched on our left hand, and the
Choctaws on our right, and we moved on till w^e
got in hearing of the camp, where the Indians
were employed in beating up what they called
chainy briar root. ' On this they mostly sub-
sisted. On a nearer approach we found they were
on an island, and that we could not get to them.
While we w^ere chatting about this matter, we
heard some guns fired, and in a very short time
after a keen whoop, which satisfied us, that where-
ever it was, there was war on a small scale. With
that we all broke, like quarter horses, for the
firing ; and w^hen we got there w^e found it was
our two front spies, who related to us the following
story : — As they were moving on, they had met
with two Creeks who were out hunting their
horses ; as they approached each other, there was a
large cluster of green bay bushes exactly between
them, so that they were within a few feet of meet-
ing before either was discovered. Our spies
walked up to them, and speaking in the Shawnee

DAVID CROCKETT. 109

tongue, informed them that General Jackson was
at Pensacoia, and they were making their escape,
and wanted to know where they could get some-
thing to eat. The Creeks told them that nine
miles up the Conaker, the river they were then
on, there was a large camp of Creeks, and they
had cattle and plenty to eat ; and further, that
their own camp was on an island about a mile off,
and just below the mouth of the Conaker. They
held their conversation and struck up a fire, and
smoked together, and shook hands, and parted.
One of the Creeks had a gun, the other had none ;
and as soon as they had parted, our Choctaws turned
round and shot down the one that had the gun,
and the other attempted to run oiT. They snapped
several times at him, but the gun still missing fire,
they took after him, and overtaking him, one of
them struck him over the head with his gun, and
followed up his blows till he killed him.

The gun was broken in the combat, and they
then fired off the gun of the Creek they had killed,
and raised the war-whoop. When we reached
them, they had cut ofi' the heads of both the In-
dians ; and each of those Indians with us would
walk up to one of the heads, and taking his war
club would strike on it. This was done by every
one of them ; and when they had got done, I took

K

110 THE LIFE OF

one of their clubs, and walked up as they had
done, and struck it on the head also. At this they
all gathered round me, and patting me on the
shoulder, would call me " Warrior — warrior."

They scalped the heads, and then we moved on
a short distance to where we found a trace leading
in towards the river. We took this trace and
pursued it, till we came to where a Spaniard had
been killed and scalped, together with a woman,
who we supposed to be his wife, and also four
children. I began to feel mighty ticklish along
about this time, for I knowed if there was no dan-
ger then, there had been ; and I felt exactly like
there still was. We, however, went on till we
struck the river, and then continued down it till
we came opposite to the Indian camp, where we
found they were still beating their roots.

It was now late in the evening, and they were
in a thick cane brake. We had some few friendly
Creeks with us, who said they could decoy them.
So we all hid behind trees and logs, while the at-
tempt was made. The Indians would not agree
that we should fire, but pick'd out some of their
best gunners, and placed them near the river.
Our Creeks went down to the river's side, and
hailed the camp in the Creek language. We heard
an answer, and an Indian man started down to-

DAVID CROCKETT m

wards the river, but didn't come in sight. He
went back and again commenced beating his roots,
and sent a squaw. She came down, and talked
with our Creeks until dark came on. They told
her they wanted her to bring them a canoe. To
v/hich she replied, that their canoe was on our
side ; that two of their men had gone out to hunt
their horses and hadn't yet returned. They were
the same two we had killed. The canoe was
found, and forty of our picked Indian warriors
were crossed over to take the camp. There was
at last only one man in it, and he escaped ; and
they took two squaws, and ten children, but
killed none of them, of course.

We had run nearly out of provisions, and Ma-
jor Russell had determined to go up the Conaker
to the camp we had heard of from the Indians we
had killed. I was one that he selected to go down
the river that night for provisions, with the canoe,
to where we had left our regiment. I took with
me a man by the name of John Guess, and one
of the friendly Creeks, and cut out. It was very
dark, and the river was so full that it overflowed
the banks and the adjacent low bottoms. This
rendered it very difficult to keep the channel, and
particularly as the river was very crooked. At
about ten o'clock at night we reached the camp,

X12 THE LIFE OF

and were to return by morning to Major Russell,
with provisions for his trip up the river ; but on
informing Colonel Blue of this arrangement, he
vetoed it as quick as General Jackson did the
bank bill ; and said, if Major Russell didn't come
back the next day, it would be bad times for him,
I found we were not to go up the Conaker to the
Indian camp, and a man of my company offered to
go up in my place to inform Major Russell. I let
him go ; and they reached the major, as I was told,
about sunrise in the morning, who immediately
returned with those who were with him to the
regiment, and joined us where we crossed the
r«ver, as hereafter stated.

The next morning we all fixed up, and marched
down the Scamby to a place called Miller's Land-
ing, where we swam our horses across, and sent
on two companies down on the side of the bay
opposite to Pensacola, where the Indians had fled
when the main army first marched to that place.
One was the company of Captain William Russell,
a son of the old major, and the other was com-
manded by a Captain Trimble. They went on, and
had a little skirmish with the Indians. They killed
some, and took all the balance prisoners, though
I don't remember the numbers. We again met
those companies in a day or two, and sent the pri-

DAVID CROCKETT. n^

soners they had taken on to Fort Montgomery,
in charge of some of our Indians.

I did hear, that after they left us, the Indians
killed and scalped all the prisoners, and I never
heard the report contradicted. I cannot positively
say it was true, but I think it entirely probable,
for it is very much like the Indian character.

k2

THE LIFE OF DAVID CROCKETT. l]5

CHAPTER VIII.

When we made a move from the point where
we met the companies, we set out for Chatahachy,
the place for which we had started when we left
Fort Montgomery. At the start we had taken
only twenty days' rations of flour, and eight days'
rations of beef ; and it was now thirty-four days
before we reached that place. We were, therefore,
in extreme suffering for want of something to eat,
and exhausted with our exposure and the fatigues
of our journey. I remember well, that I had not
myself tasted bread but twice in nineteen days.
I had bought a pretty good supply of coffee from
the boat that had reached us from Pensacola, on
the Scamby, and on that we chiefly subsisted.
At length, one night our spies came in, and in-
formed us they had found Holm's village on the
Chatahachy river ; and we made an immediate
push for that place. We traveled all night, ex-
pecting to get something to eat when we got
there. We arrived about sunrise, and near the

116 THE LIFE OF

place prepared for battle. We were all so furious,
that even the certainty of a pretty hard fight
could not have restrained us. We made a furious
charge on the town, but to our great mortification
and surprise, there wasn't a human being in it.
The Indians had all run ofi" and left it. We
burned the town, however ; but, melancholy to
tell, we found no provision whatever. We then
turned about, and went back to the camp we had
left the night before, as nearly starved as any set
of poor fellows ever were in the world.

We staid there only a little while, when we
divided our regiment j and Major Childs, with
his men, went back the way we had come for a
considerable distance, and then turned to Baton-
Rouge, where they joined General Jackson and
the main army on their return from Orleans.
Major Russell and his men struck for Fort Decatur,
on the Talapoosa river. Some of our friendly
Indians, who knew the country, went on ahead of
us, as we had no trail except the one they made
to follow. With them we sent some of our ablest
horses and men, to get us some provisions, to pre-
vent us from absolutely starving to death. As
the army marched, I hunted every day, and would
kill every hawk, bird, and squirrel that I could
find. Others did the same; and it was a rule

DAVID CROCKETT. 117

with us, that when we stop'd at night, the hunters
would throw all they killed .in a pile, and then
we w^ould make a general division among all the
men. One evening I came in, having killed no-
thing that day. I had a very sick man in my
mess, and I w^anted something for him to eat, even
if I starved myself. So I went to the fire of a
Captain Cowen, who commanded my company
after the promotion of Major Russell, and informed
him that I was on the hunt of something for a
sick man to eat. I knowed the captain was as
bad off as the rest of us, but I found him broiling
a turkey's gizzard. He said he had divided the
turkey out among the sick, that Major Smiley had
killed it, and that nothing else had been killed
that day. I immediately went to Smiley's fire,
where I found him broiling another gizzard. I
told him, that it w^as the first turkey I had ever
seen have two gizzards. But so it was, I got
nothing for my sick man. And now seeing that
every fellow must shift for himself, I determined
that in the morning, I would come up missing ;
so I took my mess and cut out to go ahead of the
army. We know'd that nothing more could
happen to us if we went than if we staid, for
it looked like it was to be starvation any way ;
we therefore determined to go on the old saying,

llg THE LIFE OF

root hog or die. We passed two camps, at which
our men, that had gone on before us, had killed
Indians. At one they had killed nine, and at
the other three. About daylight we came to a
small river, which I thought was the Scamby ; but
we continued on for three days, killing little or
nothing to eat ; till, at last, we all began to get
nearly ready to give up the ghost, and lie down
and die ; for we had no prospect of provision, and
we knew we couldn't go much further without it.

We came to a large prairie, that was about six
miles across it, and in this I saw a trail which I
knowed was made by bear, deer, and turkeys.
We went on through it till we came to a large
creek, and the low grounds were all set over with
wild rye, looking as green as a wheat field. We
here made a halt, unsaddled our horses, and turn-
ed them loose to graze.

One of my companions, a Mr. Vanzant, and my-
self, then went up the low grounds to hunt. We
had gone some distance, finding nothing ; when
at last, I found a squirrel ; which I shot, but he
got into a hole in the tree. The game, was small,
but necessity is not very particular ; so I thought
I must have him, and I climbed that tree thirty
feet high, without a limb, and pulled him out of
his hole. I shouldn't relate such small matters,

DAVID CROCKETT. Hg

only to show what lengths a hungry man will go
to, to get something to eat. I soon killed two
other squirrels, and fired at a large hawk. At
this a large gang of turkeys rose from the cane
brake, and flew across the creek to where my
friend was, who had just before crossed it. He
soon fired on a large gobler, and I heard it fall.
By this time my gun was loaded again, and I saw
one sitting on my side of the creek, which had
flew over when he fired ; so I blazed away, and
down I brought him. I gathered him up, and a
fine turkey he was. I now began to think we had
struck a breeze of luck, and almost forgot our past
sufferings, in the prospect of once more having
something to eat. I raised the shout, and my
comrade came to me, and we went on to our
camp with the game we had killed. While we
were gone, two of our mess had been out, and
each of them had found a bee tree. We turned
into cooking some of our game, but we had nei-
ther salt nor bread. Just at this moment, on
looking down the creek, we saw our men, who
had gone on before us for provisions, coming to
us. They came up, and measured out to each
man a cupfull of flower. With this, we thickened
our soup, when our turkey was cooked, and our
friends took dinner with us, and then went on.

120 THE LIFE OF

We now took our tomahawks, and went and cut
our bee-trees, out of which we got a fine chance
of honej'' ; though we had been starving so long
that we feared to eat much at a time, till, like the
Irish by hanging, we got used to it again. We
rested that night without moving our camp ; and
the next morning myself and Vanzant again
turned out to hunt. We had not gone far, before
I wounded a fine buck very badly ; and while pur-
suing him, I was walking on a large tree that had
fallen down, when from the top of it, a large bear
broke out and ran off. I had no dogs, and I was
sorry enough for it ; for of all the hunting I ever
did, I have always delighted most in bear hunting.
Soon after this, I killed a large buck ; and we had
just gotten him to camp, when our poor starved
army came up. They told us, that to lessen their
sufferings as much as possible. Captain William
Russell had had his horse led up to be shot for
them to eat, just at the moment that they saw our
men returning, who had carried on the flour.

We were now about fourteen miles from Fort
Decatur, and we gave away all our meat, and
honey, and went on with the rest of the army.
When we got there, they could give us only one
ration of meat, but not a mouthful of bread. I im-
mediately got a canoe, and taking my gun, crossed

DAVID CROCKETT. 121

over the river, and went to the Big Warrior^s
town. I had a large hat, and I offered an Indian
a silver dollar for my hat full of corn. He told
me that his corn was all " shuestea^^ which in
English means, it was all gone. But he showed
me where an Indian lived, who, he said, had corn.
I went to him, and made the same offer. He could
talk a little broken English, and said to me, " You
got any powder ? You got bullet ?'^ I told him I
had. He then said, " Me swap my corn, for
powder and bullet." I took out about ten bullets,
and showed him ; and he proposed to give me a
hat full of corn for them. I took him up, mighty
quick. I then offered to give him ten charges of
powder for another hat full of corn. To this he
agreed very willingly. So I took off my hunting-
shirt, and tied up my corn ; and though it had
cost me very little of my powder and lead, yet I
wouldn't have taken fifty silver dollars for it. I re-
turned to the camp, and the next morning we start-
ed for the Hickory Ground, which was thirty miles
off. It was here that General Jackson met the In-
dians, and made peace with the body of the nation.
We got nothing to eat at this place, and we had
yet to go forty-nine miles, over a rough and wil-
derness country, to Fort Williams. Parched corn,

and but little even of that, was our daily subsist-

L

122 THE LIFE OF

ence. When we reached Fort Williams, we got
pne ration of pork and one of flour, which was
our only hope until we could reach Fort Strother.

The horses were now giving out, and I remem-
ber to have seen thirteen good horses left in one
day, the saddles and bridles being thrown away.
It was thirty-nine miles to Fort Strother, and we
had to pass directly by Fort Talladego, where we
first had the big Indian battle with the eleven
hundred painted warriors. We went through the
oj.d battle ground, and it looked like a great gourd
patch ; the sculls of the Indians who were killed
still lay scattered all about, and many of their
frames were still perfect, as the bones had not
separated. But about five miles before we got to
this battle ground, I struck a trail, which I followed
until it led me to one of their towns. Here I swap'd
some more of my powder and bullets fora little corn.

I pursued on, by myself, till some time after
night, when I came up with the rest of the army.
That night my company and myself did pretty
well, as I divided out my corn among them. The
next morning we met the East Tennessee troops,
who were on their road to Mobile, and my young-
est brother was with them. They had plenty of
corn and provisions, and they gave me what I
wanted for myself and my horSe. I remained

DAVID CROCKETT. 123

with them that night, tliough my company went
across the Coosa river to the fort, where they also
had the good fortune to find plenty of provisions.
Next morning, I took leave of my brother and all
my old neighbours, for there were a good many of
them with him, and crossed over to my men at
the fort. Here I had enough to go on, and after
remaining a few days, cut out for home. Nothing
more, worthy of the reader's attention, transpired
till I was safely landed at home once more with
my wife and children. I found them all well and
doing well ; and though I was only a rough
sort of a backwoodsman, they seemed mighty glad
to see me, however little the quality folks might
suppose it. For I do reckon we love as hard in
the backwood country, as any people in the whole
.reation.

But I had been home only a few days, when we
received orders to start again, and go on to the,
Black Warrior and Cahawba rivers, to s6e if there
was no Indians there. I know'd well enough there
was none, and I wasn't willing to trust my craw
any more where there was neither any fighting to
do, nor any thing to go on; and so I agreed to give
a young man, who wanted to go, the balance of m}'-
wages if he would serve out my time, which was
about a month. He did so, and when they returned,

124 'THE LIFE OF

sure enough they hadn't seen an Indian any more
than if they had been all the time chopping wood
in my clearing. This closed my career as a warrior,
and I am glad of it, for I like life now a heap bet-
ter than I did then ; and I am glad all over that I
lived to see these times, which I should not
have done if I had kept fooling along in war, and
got used up at it When I say I am glad, I just
mean I am glad I am alive, for there is a confound-
ed heap of things I an't glad of at all. I an't glad,
for example, that the " government" moved the
deposites, and if my military glory should take
such a turn as to make me president after the ge-
neral's time, 1 '11 move them back ; yes, I, the
" government," will " take the responsibility,"
and move them back again. If I don't, I wish I
may be shot.

But I am glad that I am now through war mat-
ters, and I reckon the reader is too, for they have no
fun in them at all ; and less if he had had to pass
through them first,and then to write them afterwards.
But for the dullness of their narrative, I must try-
to make amends by relating some of the curious
things that happened to me in private life, and
when forced to become a public man, as I shall
have to be again, if ever I consent to take the
presidential chair.

DAVID CROCKETT. 125

CHAPTER IX.

I CONTINUED at home now, working my farm
for two years, as the war finally closed soon
after I quit the service. The battle at New
Orleans had already been fought, and treaties
were made with the Indians which put a stop to
their hostilities.

But in this time, I met with the hardest trial
which ever falls to the lot of man. Death, that
cruel leveller of all distinctions, — to whom the
prayers and tears of husbands, and of even help-
less infancy, are addressed in vain, — entered my
humble cottage, and tore from my children an af-
fectionate good mother, and from me a tender and
loving wife.

It is a scene long gone by, and one which it

would be supposed I had almost forgotten ; yet

when I turn my memory back on it, it seems as but

the work of yesterday. It was the doing of the

Almighty, whose ways are always right, though

we sometimes think they fall heavily on us ; and

l2

126 THE LIFE OF

as painful as is even yet the remembrance of her
sufferings, and the loss sustained by my little chil-
dren and myself, yet I have no wish to lift up the
voice of complaint. I was left with three chil-
dren ; the two oldest were sons, the youngest a
daughter, and, at that time, a mere infant. It ap-
peared to me, at that moment, that my situation
was the worst in the world. I couldn't bear the
thought of scattering my children, and so I got
my youngest brother, who was also married, and
his family to live with me. They took as good
care of my children as they well could, but yet it
wasn't all like the care of a mother. And though
their company was to me in every respect like
that of a brother and sister, yet it fell far short of
being like that of a wife. So I came to the con-
clusion it wouldn't do, but that I must have an-
other wife.

There lived in the neighbourhood, a widow lady
whose husband had been killed in the war. She
had two children, a son and daughter, and both
quite small, like my own. I began to think, that
as we were both in the same situation, it might be
that we could do something for each other ; and I
therefore began to hint a little around the matter,
as we were once and a while together. She was a
good industrious woman, and ^wned a snug little

DAVID CROCKETT. 127

farm, and lived quite comfortable. I soon began
to pay my respects to her in real good earnest ;
but I was as sly about it as a fox when he is going
to rob a hen-roost. I found that my company
wasn't at all disagreeable to her ; and I thought I
could treat her children with so much friendship
as to make her a good stepmother to mine, and in
this I wan't mistaken, as we soon bargained, and
got married, and then went ahead. In a great
deal of peace we raised our first crop of chil-
dren, and they are all married and doing well. But
we had a second crop together ; and I shall notice
them as I go along, as my wife and myself both
had a hand in them, and they therefore belong to
the history of my second marriage.

The next fall after this marriage, three of my
neighbours and myself determined to explore a
new country. Their names were Robinson, Fra-
zier, and Rich. We set out for the Creek country,
crossing the Tennessee river ; and after having
made a day's travel, we stop'd at the house of one
of my old acquaintances, who had settled there
after the war. Resting here a day, Frazier turned
out to hunt, being a great hunter ; but he got
badly bit by a very poisonous snake, and so we
left him and went on. We passed thr'^ugh a large
rich valley, called Jones's valley, where several

1^9 THE LIFE OP

other families had settled, and continued our
course till we came near to the place where Tus-
caloosa now stands. Here we camped, as there
were no inhabitants, and hobbled out our horses
for the night. About two hours before day, we
heard the bells on our horses going back the way
we had come, as they had started to leave us.
As soon as it was daylight, I started in pursuit of
them on foot, and carrying my rifle, which was a
very heavy one. I went ahead the whole day,
wading creeks and swamps, and climbing moun-
tains ; but I couldn't overtake our horses, though
I could hear of them at every house they passed.
I at last found I couldn't catch up with them, and
so I gave up the hunt, and turned back to the last
house I had passed, and staid there till morning.
From the best calculation we could make, I had
walked over fifty miles that day ; and the next
morning I was so sore, and fatigued, that I felt
like I couldn't walk any more. But I was anxious
to get back to where I had left my company, and
so I started and went on, but mighty slowly, till
after the middle of the day. I now began to
feel mighty sick, and had a dreadful head-ache.
My rifle was so heavy, and I felt so weak, that I
lay down by the side of the trace, in a perfect
wilderness too, to see if I wouldn't get better

DAVID CROCKETT. X29

In a short time some Indians came along. They
had some ripe melons, and wanted me to eat
some, but I was so sick I couldn't. They then
signed to me, that I would die, and be buried ;
a thing I was confoundedly afraid of myself.
But I asked them how near it was to any house ?
By their signs, again, they made me understand it
was a mile and a half. I got up to go ; but when
I rose, I reeled about like a cow with the blind
staggers, or a fellow who had taken too many
" horns." One of the Indians proposed to go
with me, and carry my gun. I gave him half a
dollar, and accepted his offer. We got to the
house, by which time I was pretty far gone, but
was kindly received, and got on to a bed. The
woman did all she could for me with her warm
teas, but I still continued bad enough, with a high
fever, and generally out of my senses. The next
day two of my neighbours were passing the road,
and heard of my situation, and came to where I
was. They were going nearly the route I had
intended to go, to look at the country ; and so
they took me first on one of their horses, and
then on the other, till they got me back to where
I had left my company. I expected I would get
better, and be able to go on with them, but, instead
of this, I got worse and worse ; and when we got

130 THE LIFE OF

there, I wan't able to sit up at all. I thought
now the jig was mighty nigh up with me, but I
determined to keep a stiff upper lip. They car-
ried me to a house, and each of my comrades
bought him a horse, and they all set out together,
leaving me behind. I knew but little that was
going on for about two weeks ; but the family
treated me with every possible kindness in their
power, and I shall always feel thankful to them.
The man's name was Jesse Jones. At the end of .
two weeks I began to mend without the help of a
doctor, or of any doctor's means. In this time,
however, as they told me, I was speechless for
five days, and they had no thought that I would
ever speak again, — in Congress or any where else.
And so the woman, who had a bottle of Bates-
man's draps, thought if they killed me, I would
only die any how, and so she would try it with
me. She gave me the whole bottle, which
throwed me into a sweat that continued on me
all night ; when at last I seemed to make up, and]
spoke, and asked her for a drink of water. This
almost alarmed her, for she was looking every]
minute for me to die. She gave me the water,]
and, from that time, I began slowly to mend, andi
so kept on till I was able at last to walk about a1
little. I might easily have been mistaken for]

DAVID CROCKETT. 131

one of the Kitchen Cabinet, I looked so much
like a ghost. I have been particular in giving a
history of this sickness, not because I believe it
will interest any body much now, nor, indeed,
do I certainly know that it ever will. But if I
should be forced to take the " white house," then
it will be good history ; and every one will look
on it as important. And 1 can't, for my life, help
laughing now, to think, that when all my folks
get around me, wanting good fat offices, how so
many of them will say, "What a good thing it
was that that kind woman had the bottle of draps,
that saved President Crockett's life,— the se-
cond greatest and best"! ! ! ! ! Good, says I,
my noble fellow ! You take the post office ; or
the navy ; or the war office ; or may-be the
treasury. But if I give him the treasury, there's
no devil if I don't make him agree first to fetch
back them deposites. And if it's even the post-
office, I'll make him promise to keep his money
'counts without any figuring, as that throws the
whole concern heels over head in debt, in little
or no time.

But when I got so I could travel a little, I got

a waggoner who was passing along to hawl me

to where he lived, which was about twenty miles

' from my house. I still mended as we went along,

[32 "^HE L^^^ ^^

and when we got to his stopping place, I hired
one of his horses, and went on home. I was so
pale, and so much reduced, that my face looked
like it had been half soled with brown paper.

When I got there, it was to the utter astonish-
ment of my wife ; for she supposed I w^as dead.
My neighbours who had started with me had re-
turned and took my horse home, which they
had found with their's ; and they reported that
they had seen men who had helped to bury me ;
and who saw me draw my last breath. I know'd
this was a whapper of a lie, as soon as I heard it.
My wife had hired a man, and sent him out to see
what had become of my money and other things ;
but I had missed the man as I went in, and he
didn't return until some time after I got home,
as he went all the way to where I lay sick, before
he heard that I was still in the land of the living
and a-kicking.

The place on which I lived was sickly, and I
was determined to leave it. I therefore set out
the next fall to look at the country which had
been purchased of the Chickasaw tribe of Indians.
I went on to a place called Shoal Creek, about
eighty miles from where I lived, and here again
I got sick. I took the ague and fever, which I
supposed was brought on me by camping out. I

DAVID CROCKETT 133

remained here for some time, as I was unable to
go farther ; and in that time, I became so well
pleased with the country about there, that T re-
solved to settle in it. It was just only a little dis-
tance in the purchase, and no order had been es-
tablished there ; but I thought I could get along
without order as well as any body else. And so I
moved and settled myself down on the head of
Shoal Creek. We remained here some two or
three years, without any law at all ; and so many
bad characters began to flock in upon us, that we
found it necessary to set up a sort of temporary
government of our own. I don't mean that we
H^ made any president, and called him the " govern-
ment," but we met and made what we called a
corporation ; and I reckon we called it wrong,
for it wa'n't a bank, and hadn't any deposites ;
and now they call the bank a corporation. But
be this as it may, we lived in the back-woods, and
didn't profess to know much, and no doubt used
many wrong words. But we met, and appointed
magistrates and constables to keep order. We
didn't fix any laws for them, tho' ; for we sup-
posed they would know law enough, whoever
they might be ; and so we left it to themselves to
fix the laws.

I was appointed one of the magistrates ; and

M

134 THE LIFE OF ^

when a man owed a debt, and wouldn't pay-
it, I and my constable ordered our warrant, and
then he would take the man, and bring him be-
fore me for trial. I would give judgment against
him, and then an order of an execution would
easily scare the debt out of him. If any one was
charged with marking his neighbour's hogs, or
with stealing any thing, which happened pretty
often in those days, — I would have him taken, and
if there was tolerable grounds for the charge, I
would have him well whip'd and cleared. We
kept this up till our Legislature added us to
the white settlements in Giles county ; and ap-
pointed magistrates by law, to organize matters in
the parts where I lived. They appointed nearly
every man a magistrate who had belonged to our
corporation. T was then, of course, made a squire
according to law ; though now the honour rested
more heavily on me than before. For, at first,
whenever I told my constable, says I — " Catch that
fellow, and bring him up for trial" — away he went,
and the fellow must come, dead or alive ; for we
considered this a good warrant, though it was only
in verbal writings. But after I was appointed
by the assembly, they told me, my warrants must
be in real writing, and signed ; and that I must
keep a book, and v/rite my proceedings in it.

DAVID CROCKETT. ][35

This was a hard business on me, for I could iust
barely write my own name ; but to do this, and
write the warrants too, was at least a huckle-
berry over my persimmon. I had a pretty
well informed constable, however ; and he aided
me very much in this business. Indeed I had so
much confidence in him, that I told him, when we
should happen to be out anywhere, and see that
a warrant was necessary, and would have a good
eflfect, he need'nt take the trouble to come all
the way to me to get one, but he could just fill
out one ; and then on the trial I could correct the
whole business if he had committed any error. In
this way I got on pretty well, till by care and at-
tention I improved my handwriting in such man-
ner as to be able to prepare my warrants, and keep
my record book, without much difficulty. My
judgments were never appealed from, and if they
had been they would have stuck like wax, as I
gave my decisions on the principles of common
justice and honesty between man and man, and
relied on natural born sense, and not on law,
learning to guide me ; for I had never read a
page in a law book in all my life.

THE LIFE OF DAVID CROCKETT. 12>J

CHAPTER X.

About the time we were getting under good
headway in our new government, a Capt. Mat-
thews came to me and told me he was a candidate
for the office of colonel of a regiment, and that I
must run for first major in the same regiment. I
objected to this, telling him that I thought I had
done my share of fighting, and that I wanted no-
thing to do with military appointments.

He still insisted, until at last I agreed, and of
course had every reason to calculate on his support
in my election. He was an early settler in that
country, and made rather more corn than the rest
of us ; and knowing it would afford him a good
opportunity to electioneer a little, he made a great
corn husking, and a great frolic, and gave a gene-
ral treat, asking every body over the whole coun-
try. Myself and my family were, of course, in-
vited. When I got there, I found a very large col-
lection of people, and some friend of mine soon

informed me that the captain's- son was going to

m2

138 THE LIFE OF

offer against me for the office of major, which he
had seemed so anxious for me to get. I cared
nothing about the office, but it put my dander up
high enough to see, that after he had pressed me
so hard to offer, he was countenancing, if not en-
couraging, a secret plan to beat me. I took the
old gentleman out, and asked him about it. He
told me it was true his son was going to run
as a candidate, and that he hated worse to run
against me than any man in the county. I told
him his son need give himself no uneasiness about
that ; that I shouldn't run against him for major,
but against his daddy for colonel. He took me
by the hand, and we went into the company. He
then made a speech, and informed the people that
I was his opponent. I mounted up for a speech
too. I told the people the cause of my opposing
him, remarking that as I had the whole family to
run against any way, I was determined to levy on
the head of the mess. When the time for the elec-
tion came, his son was opposed by another man for
major ; and he and his daddy were both badly
beaten. I just now began to take a rise, as in a
little time I was asked to offer for the Legislature
in the counties of Lawrence and Heckman.

I offered my name in the month of February,
and started about the first of March with a drove

DAVID CROCKETT. j[39

of horses to the lower part of the state of North
Carolina. This was in the year 1821, and I was
gone upwards of three months. I returned, and
set out electioneering, which was a bran-fire new
business to me. It now became necessary that I
should tell the people something about the govern-
ment, and an eternal sight of other things that I
knowed nothing more about than I did about Latin,
and law, and such things as that. I have said be-
fore that in those days none of us called Gen'l.
Jackson the government, nor did he seem in as
fair a way to become so as I do now ; but I knowed
so little about it, that if any one had told me he
was " the government," I should have believed it,
for I had never read even a newspaper in my life,
or any thing else, on the subject. But over all my
difficulties, it seems to me I was born for luck,
-though it would be hard for any one to guess what
sort. I will, however, explain that hereafter.

I went first into Heckman county, to see what I
could do among the people as a candidate. Here
they told me that they wanted to move their town
nearer to the centre of the county, and I must
come out in favour of it. There's no devil if I
knowed what this meant, or how the town was to
be moved ; and so I kept dark, going on the iden-
tical same plan that I now find is called " non-

140 THE LIFE OF

committal .^^ About this time there was a great
squirrel hunt on Duck river, which was among my
people. They were to hunt two days : then io
meet and count the scalps, and have a big barbe-
cue, and what might be called a tip-top country
frolic. The dinner, and a general treat, was all to
be paid for by the party having taken the fewest
scalps. I joined one side, taking the place of one
of the hunters, and got a gun ready for the hunt.
I killed a great many squirrels, and when we
counted scalps, my party was victorious.

The company had every thing to eat and drink
that could be furnished in so new a country, and
much fun and good humour prevailed. But be-
fore the regular frolic commenced, I mean the
dancing, I was called on to make a speech as a can-
didate ; which was a business I was as ignorant of
as an outlandish negro.

A public document I had never seen, nor did I
know there were such things ; and how to begin I
couldn't tell. I made many apologies, and tried to
get off, for I know'd I had a man to run against
who could speak prime, and I know'd, too, that I
wa'n't able to shuffle and cut with him. He was
there, and knowing my ignorance as well as I did
myself, he also urged me to make a speech. The
truth is, he thought my being a candidate was a

*»

DAVID CROCKETT. 14^

mere matter of sport; and dicln't think, for a mo-
ment, that he was in any danger from an ignorant
back-woods bear hunter. But I found I couldn't
get off, and so I determined just to go ahead, and
leave it to chance what I should say. I got up
and told the people, I reckoned they know'd what
I come for, but if not, I could tell them. I had
come for their votes, and if they didn't watch
mighty close, I'd get them too. But the worst
of all was, that I couldn't tell them any thing about
government. I tried to speak about something,
and I cared very little what, until I choaked up as
bad as if my mouth had been jam'd and cram'd
chock full of dry mush. There the people stood,
listening all the while, with their eyes, mouths
and years all open, to catch every word I would
speak.

At last I told them I was like a fellow I had
heard of not long before. He was beating on the
head of an empty barrel near the road-side, when
a traveler, who was passing along, asked him what
he was doing that for ? The fellow replied, that
there was some cider in that barrel a few days be-
fore, and he was trying to see if there was any then,
but if there was he couldn't get at it. I told them
that there had been a little bit of a speech in me a
while ago, but I believed I couldn't get it out.

J 42 '^^E LIFE OF

They all roared out in a mighty laugh, and I told
some other anecdotes, equally amusing to them,
and believing I had them in a first-rate way, I quit
and got down, thanking the people for their atten-
tion. But I took care to remark that I was as dry
as a powder horn, and that I thought it was time
for us all to wet our whistles a little ; and so I put
off to the liquor stand, and was followed by the
greater part of the crowd.

I felt certain this was necessary, for I knowed
my competitor could open government matters to
them as easy as he pleased. He had, however,
mighty few left to hear him, as I continued with
the crowd, now and then taking a horn, and telling
good humoured stories, till he was done speaking.
I found I was good for the votes at the hunt, and
when we broke up, I went on to the town of Ver-
non, which w^as the same they wanted me to move.
Here they pressed me again on the subject, and I
found I could get either party by agreeing with
them. But I told them I didn't know whether it
would be right or not, and so couldn't promise
either way.

Their court commenced on the next Monday, as
the barbacue was on a Saturday, and the candi-
dates for governor and for Congress, as well as my ■
competitor and myself, all attended.

!

DAVID CROCKETT. 143

The thought of having to make a speech made
my knees feel mighty weak, and set my heart to
fluttering almost as bad as my first love scrape with
the Quaker's niece. But as good luck would have
it, these big candidates spoke nearly all day, and
when they quit, the people were worn out with
fatigue, which afforded me a good apology for not
discussing the government. But I listened mighty
close to them, and was learning pretty fast about
political matters. When they were all done, I got
up and told some laughable story, and quit. I
found I was safe in those parts, and so I went
home, and didn't go back again till after the
election was over. But to cut this matter short,
1 was elected, doubling my competitor, and nine
votes over.

A short time after this, I was in Pulaski, where
I met with Colonel Polk, now a member of Con-
gress from Tennessee, He was at that time a
member elected to the Legislature, as well as my-
self ; and in a large company he said to me,
" Well, colonel, I suppose we shall have a radical
change of the judiciary at the next session of the
Legislature." "Very likely, sir," says I, and I
put out quicker, for I was afraid some one would
ask me what the judiciary was ; and if I knowed
I wish I may be shot. I don't indeed believe I had

144 THE LIFE OF

ever before heard that there was any such thing
in all nature ; but still I was not willing that the
people there should know how ignorant I was
about it.

When the time for meeting of the Legislature
arrived, I went on, and before I had been there
long, I could have told what the judiciary was,
and what the government was too ; and many
other things that I had known nothing about be-
fore.

About this time I met with a very severe mis-
fortune, which I may be pardoned for naming, as
it made a great change in my circumstances, and
kept me back very much in the world. I had
built an extensive grist mill, and powder mill, all
connected together, and also a large distillery.
They had cost me upwards of three thousand
dollars, more than I was worth in the world.
The first news that I heard after I got to the
Legislature, was, that my mills were — not blown
up sky high, as you would guess, by my powder
establishment, — but swept away all to smash by a
large fresh, that came soon after I left home. I
had, of course, to stop my distillery, as my grind-
ing was broken up ; and, indeed, I may say, that
the misfortune just made a complete mash of me.,
T had some likely negroes, and a good stock of |

DAVID CROCKETT. 145

almost every thing about me, and, best of all, I
had an honest wife. She didn't advise me, as is
too fashionable, to smuggle up this, and that, and
t'other, to go on at home ; but she told me,
says she, "Just pay up, as long as you have a bit's
worth in the world ; and then every body will
be satisfied, and we will scuffle for more." This
was just such talk as I wanted to hear, for a
man's wife can hold him devlish uneasy, if she
begins to scold, and fret, and perplex him, at a
time when he has a full load for a rail-road car
on his mind already.

And so, you see, I determined not to break full
handed, but thought it better to keep a good con-
science with an empty purse, than to get a bad
opinion of myself, with a full one. I therefore
gave up all I had, and took a bran-fire new start.

jsr

I

THE LIFE OF DAVID CROCKETT. J 47

CHAPTER XI.

Having returned from the Legislature, I de-
termined to make another move, and so I took my
eldest son with me, and a young man by the name
of Abram Henry, and cut out for the Obion. I se-
lected a spot when I got there, where I de-
^; termined to settle ; and the nearest house to it
was seven miles, the next nearest was fifteen,
and so on to tv/enty. It was a complete wilder-
ness, and full of Indians w^ho were hunting. Game
was plenty of almost every kind, which suited
me exactly, as I was always fond of hunting.
The house which was nearest me, and which, as I
have already stated, was seven miles off, and on
the different side of the Obion river, belonged to
a man by the name of Owens ; and I started to
go there. I had taken one horse along, to pack
our provision, and when I got to the water I hob-
bled him out to graze, until I got back ; as there
was no boat to cross the river in, and it was so

148 THE LIFE OF

high that it had overflowed all the bottoms and
low country near it.

We now took water like so many beavers, not-
withstanding it was mighty cold, and waded on.
The water would sometimes be up to our necks,
and at others not so deep ; but I went, of course,
before, and carried a pole, with which I would feel
along before me, to see how deep it was, and to
guard against falling into a slough, as there was
many in our way. When I would come to one,
I would take out my tomahawk and cut a small
tree across it, and then go ahead again. Fre-
quently my little son would have to swim, even
where myself and the young man could wade ;
but we worked on till at last we got to the channel
of the river, which made it about half a mile
we had waded from where we took water. I
saw a large tree that had fallen into the river
from the other side, but it didn't reach across.
One stood on the same bank where we were, that
I thought I could fall, so as to reach the other ;
and so at it we went with my tomahawk, cutting
away till we got it down ; and, as good luck
would have it, it fell right, and made us a way
that we could pass.

When we got over this, it was still a sea of
water as far as our eyes could reach. We took

i

DAVID CROCKETT. 149

into It again, and went ahead, for about a mile,
hardly ever seeing a single spot of land, and
sometimes very deep. At last we come in sight
of land, which was a very pleasing thing ; and
when we got out, we went but a little way, be-
fore we came in sight of the house, which was
more pleasing than ever ; for we were wet all
over, and mighty cold. I felt mighty sorry when
I would look at my little boy, and see him shak-
ing like he had the worst sort of an ague, for
r. there was no time for fever then. As we got
near to the house, we saw Mr. Owens and seve-
ral men that were with him, just starting away.
They saw us, and stop'd, but looked much asto-
nished until we got up to them, and I made my-
self known. The men who were with him
were the owners of a boat which was the first
that ever went that far up the Obion river ;
and some hands he had hired to carry it about
a hundred miles still further up, by water, tho'
it was only about thirty by land, as the river is
very crooked.

They all turned back to the house with me,
where I found Mrs. Owens, a fine, friendly old
woman ; and her kindness to my little boy did
me ten times as much good as any thing she

could have done for me, if she had tried her

n2

X50 THE LIFE OF

best. The old gentleman set out his bottle to
us, and I concluded that if a horn wasn't good
then, there was no use for its invention. So I
swig'd off about a half pint, and the young man
was by no means bashful in such a case ; he took
a strong pull at it too. I then gave my boy some,
and in a little time we felt pretty well. We dried
ourselves by the fire, and were asked to go on
board of the boat that evening. I agreed to do
so, but left my son with the old lady, and my-
self and my young man went to the boat with
Mr. Owens and the others. The boat was load-
ed with whiskey, flour, sugar, coffee, salt, cast-
ings, and other articles suitable for the country ;
and they were to receive five hundred dollars to
land the load at M^Lemore's Bluff, beside the
profit they could make on their load. This was
merely to show that boats could get up to that
point. We staid all night with them, and had a
high night of it, as I took steam enough to drive
out all the cold that was in me, and about three
times as much more. In the morning we con-
cluded to go on with the boat to where a great
harricane had crossed the river, and blowed all
the timber down into it. When we got there,
we found the river was falling fast, and con-
cluded we couldn't get through the timber with-

DAVID CKOCKETT. 15X

out more rise ; so we drop'd down opposite Mr.
Owens' again, where they determined to wait for
more water.

The next day it rained rip-roriously, and the
river rose pretty considerable, but not enough yet.
And so I got the boatsmen all to go out with me to
where I was going to settle, and we slap'd up a
cabin in little or no time. I got from the boat
four barrels of meal, and one of salt, and about ten
gallons of whiskey.

To pay for these, I agreed to go with the boat
up the river to their landing place. I got also a
large middling of bacon, and killed a fine deer,
and left them for my young man and m.y little
boy, who were to stay at my cabin till I got back;
which I expected would be in six or seven days.
We cut out, and moved up to the harricane, where
we stop'd for the night. In the morning I started
about daylight, intending to kill a deer, as I had
no thought they would get the boat through the
timber that day. I had gone but a little way be-
fore I killed a fine buck, and started to go back to
the boat ; but on the way I came on the tracks of a
large gang of elks, and so I took after them. I had
followed them only a little distance when I saw
them, and directly after I saw two large bucks. I
shot one down, and the other wouldn't leave him ;

152 THE LIFE OP

so I loaded my gun, and shot him down too. 1
hung them up, and went ahead again after my elks.
I pursued on till after the middle of the day be-
fore I saw them again ; but they took the hint be-
fore I got in shooting distance, and run off. I still
pushed on till late in the evening, when I found I
was about four miles from where I had left the boat,
and as hungry as a wolf, for I hadn't eaten a bite
that day.

I started down the edge of the river low grounds,
giving out the pursuit of my elks, and hadn't gone
hardly any distance at all, before I saw two more
bucks, very large fellows too. I took a blizzard
at one of them, and up he tumbled. The other
ran off a few jumps and stop'd ; and stood there
till I loaded again, and fired at him. I knock'd
his trotters from under him, and then I hung
them both up. I pushed on again ; and about
sunset I saw three other bucks. I down'd with
one of them, and the other two ran off I hung
this one up also, having now killed six that day.
I then pushed on till I got to the harri cane, and
at the lower edge of it, about where I expected
the boat was. Here I hollered as hard as I could
roar, but could get no answer. I fired off my gun,
and the men on the boat fired one too ; but quite'
contrary to my expectation, they had got through

DAVID CROCKETT. 153

jthe timber, and were about two miles above me.
It was now dark, and I had to crawl through
the fallen timber the best way I could ; and if
the reader don't know it was bad enough, I am
sure I do. For the vines and briers had grown
all through it, and so thick, that a good fat coon
couldn't much more than get along. I got
through at last, and went on near to where I
had killed my last deer, and once more fired off
my gun, which was again answered from the boat,
which was still a little above me. I moved on as
fast as I could, but soon came to water, and not
knowing how deep it was, I halted and hollered
till they came to me with a skiff. I now got to the
boat, without further difficulty ; but the briers had
worked on me at such a rate, that 1 felt like I
wanted sewing up, all over. I took a pretty stiff
horn, which soon made me feel much better ; but
I was so tired that I could hardly work my jaws
to eat.

In the morning, myself and a young man started
and brought in the first buck I had killed ; and
after breakfast we went and brought in the last
one. The boat then started, but we again went
and got the two I had killed just as I turned
down the river in the evening ; and we then
pushed on and o'ertook the boat, leaving the other

154 THE LIFE OF

two hanging in the woods, as we had now as much
as we wanted.

We got up the river very well, but quite
slowly ; and we landed, on the eleventh day, at
the place the load was to be delivered at. They
here gave me their skiff, and myself and a young
man by the name of Flavius Harris, who had de-
termined to go and live with me, cut out down
the river for my cabin, which we reached safely
enough.

We turned in and cleared a field, and planted
our corn ; but it was so late in the spring, we had
no time to make rails, and therefore we put no
fence around our field. There was no stock, how-
ever, nor any thing else to disturb our corn, ex-
cept the wild varments, and the old serpent him-
self, with a fence to help him, couldn't keep them
out. I made corn enough to do me, and during
that spring I killed ten bears, and a great abun-
dance of deer. But in all this time, we saw the
face of no white person in that country, except
Mr. Owens' family, and a very few passengers,
who went out there, looking at the country. In-
dians, though, were still plenty enough. Having
laid by my crap, I went home, which was a dis-
tance of about a hundred and fifty miles ; and
when I got there, I was met by an order to attend

DAVID CROCKETT. 155

a call-session of our Legislature. I attended it,
and served out my time, and then returned, and
took my family and what little plunder I had,
and moved to where I had built my cabin, and
made my crap.

I gathered my corn, and then set out for my
Fall's hunt. This was in the last of October, 1822.
I found bear very plenty, and, indeed, all sorts of
game and wild varments, except buffalo. There
was none of them. I hunted on till Christmass,
having supplied my family very well all along
with wild meat, at which time my powder gave
out; and I had none either to fire Christmass guns,
which is very common in that country, or to hunt
with. I had a brother-in-law who had nov/ moved
out and settled about six miles west of me, on the
opposite side of Rutherford's fork of the Obion
river, and he had brought me a keg of powder,
but I had never gotten it home. There had just
been another of Noah's freshes, and the low
grounds were flooded all over with water. I
know'd the stream was at least a mile wide which
I would have to cross, as the water was from hill
to hill, and yet I determined to go on over in some
way or other, so as to get my powder. I told this
to my wife, and she immediately opposed it with
all her might. I still insisted, telling her we had

156 THE LIFE OF

no powder for Christmassy andj worse than all, we
were out of meat. She said, we had as well starve
as for me to freeze to death or to get drowned, and
one or the other was certain if I attempted to go.

But I didn't believe the half of this ; and so I
took my woolen wrappers, and a pair of mockasins,
and put them on, and tied up some dry clothes and
a pair of shoes and stockings, and started. But I
didn't before know how much any body could
suffer and not die. This, and some of my other
experiments in water, learned me something about
it, and I therefore relate them.

The snow was about four inches deep when I
started ; and when I got to the water, which was
only about a quarter of a mile off, it look'd like an
ocean. I put in, and waded on till I come to the
channel, where I crossed that on a high log. I then
took water again, having my gun and all my
hunting tools along, and waded till I came to a
deep slough, that was wider than the river itself.
I had crossed it often on a log ; but, behold, when I
got there, no log was to be seen. I knowed of an
island in the slough, and a sapling stood on it
close to the side of that log, which was now en-
tirely under water. I knowed further, that the
water was about eight or ten feet deep under the
log, and I judged it to be about three feet deep

DAVID CROCKETT. 157

over it. After studying a little what I should do,
I determined to cut a forked sapling, which stood
near me, so as to lodge it against the one that
stood on the island, in which I succeeded very
well. I then cut me a pole, and crawled along on
my sapling till I got to the one it was lodged
against, which was about six feet above the water.
I then felt about with my pole till I found the log,
which was just about as deep under the water as I
had judged. I then crawled back and got my
gun, which I had left at the stump of the sapling I
had cut, and again made my way to the place of
lodgement, and then climb'd down the other sap-
ling so as to get on the log. I then felt my way
along with my feet, in the water, about waist deep,
but it was a mighty ticklish business. However,
I got over, and by this time I had very little feel-
ing in my feet and legs, as I had been all the time
in the water, except what time I was crossing
the high log over the river, and climbing my lodged
sapling.

I went but a short distance before I came to
another slough, over which there was a log, but
it was floating on the water. I thought I could
walk it, and so I mounted on it ; but when I had
got about the middle of the deep water, some-
how or somehow else, it turned over, and in I

0

158 THE LIFE OF

went up to my head. I waded out of this deep
water, and went ahead till I came to the high-land,
where I stop'd to pull of my wet clothes, and put
on the others, which I had held up with my gun,
above the water, when I fell in. I got them on,
but my flesh had no feeling in it, I was so cold.
I tied up the wet ones, and hung them up in a bush.
I now thought I would run, so as to warm myself
a little, but I couldn't raise a trot for some time ;
indeed, I couldn't step more than half the length
of my foot. After a while I got better, and went
on five miles to the house of my brother-in-law,
having not even smelt fire from the time I started.
I got there late in the evening, and he was much
astonished at seeing me at such a time. I staid
all night, and the next morning was most pierc-
ing cold, and so they persuaded me not to go
home that day. I agreed, and turned out and
killed him two deer ; but the weather still got
worse and colder, instead of better. I staid that
night, and in the morning they still insisted I
couldn't get home. I knowed the water v/ould
be frozen over, but not hard enough to bear me,j
and so I agreed to stay that day. I went out hunt-
ing again, and pursued a big he-hear all day, bull
didn't kill him. The next morning was bitter
cold, but I knowed my family was without meat,^

DAVID CROCKETT. 159

and I determined to get home to them, or die
a-trying.

I took my keg of powder, and all my hunting
tools, and cut out. When I got to the water, it
was a sheet of ice as far as I could see. I put on
to it, but hadn't got far before it broke through
with me ; and so I took out my tomahawk, and
broke my way along before me for a considerable
distance. At last I got to where the ice would
bear me for a short distance, and I mounted on it,
and went ahead ; but it soon broke in again, and
I had to wade on till I came to my floating log.
I found it so tight this time, that I know'd it
couldn't give me another fall, as it was frozen in
with the ice. I crossed over it without much
difficulty, and worked along till I got to my
lodged sapling, and my log under the water.
The swiftness of the current prevented the water
from freezing over it, and so I had to wade, just
as I did w^hen I crossed it before. When I got
to my sapling, I left my gun and climbed out with
my powder keg first, and then went back and got
my gun. By this time I was nearly frozen to
death, but I saw all along before me, where the
ice had been fresh broke, and I thought it must
be a bear straggling about in the water. I, there-
fore, fresh primed my gun, and, cold as I was, I

150 • 'THE LIFE OF

was determined to make war on him, if we met.
But I followed the trail till it led me home, and
I then found it had been made by my young
man that lived with me, who had been sent by
my distressed wife to see, if he could, what had
become of me, for they all believed that I was dead.
When I got home I was'nt quite dead, but mighty
nigh it ; but I had my powder, and that was what
I went for.

DAVIT) CROCKETT. jfj]^

CHAPTER XII.

That night there fell a heavy rain, and it
turned to a sleet. In the mornino; all hands
turned out hunting. My young man, and a
brother-in-law who had lately settled close by
me, went down the river to hunt for turkeys ;
but I was for larger game. I told them, I had
dreamed the night before of having a hard fight
with a big black nigger, and I knowed it was a
sign that I was to have a battle with a bear ; for
in a bear country, I never know'd such a dream
to fail. So 1 started to go up above the harricane,
determined to have a bear. I had two pretty
good dogs, and an old hound, all of which I took
along. I had gone about six miles up the river,
and it was then about four miles across to the
main Obion ; so I determined to strike across to
that, as I had found nothing yet to kill. I got on
to the river, and turned down it ; but the sleet
was still getting worse and worse. The bushes

were all bent down, and locked together with ice,

o 2

Xg2 '''HE LIFE OF

so that it was almost impossible to get along. In
a little time my dogs started a large gang of old
turkey goblers, and I killed two of them, of the
biggest sort. I shouldered them up, and moved
on, until I got through the harricane, when I was
so tired that I laid my goblers down to rest, as they
were confounded heavy, and I was mighty tired.
While I was resting, my old hound went to a log,
and smelt it awhile, and then raised his eyes to-
ward the sky, and cried out. Away he went,
and my other dogs with him, and I shouldered up
my turkeys again, and followed on as hard as I
could drive. They were soon out of sight, and
in a very little time I heard them begin to bark.
When I got to them, they were barking up a tree,
but there was no game there. I concluded it had
been a turkey, and that it had flew away.

When they saw me coming, away they went
again ; and, after a little time, began to bark as
before. When I got near them, I found they
were barking up the wrong tree again, as there
was no game there. They served me in this way
three or four times, until I was so infernal mad,
that I determined, if I could get near enough, to
shoot the old hound at least. With this intention
I pushed on the harder, till I came to the edge of
an open parara, and looking on before my dogs, I

DAVID CROCKETT. ^53

saw in and about the biggest bear that ever was
seen in America. He looked, at the distance he
was from me, like a large black bull. My dogs
were afraid to attack him, and that was the reason
they had stop'd so often, that I might overtake
them. They were now almost up with him, and
I took my goblers from my back and hung them
up in a sapling, and broke like a quarter horse
after my bear, for the sight of him had put new
springs in me. I soon got near to them, but they
were just getting into a roaring thicket, and so I
couldn't run through it, but had to pick my way
along, and had close work even at that.

In a little time I saw the bear climbing up a
large black oak-tree, and I crawled on till I got
within about eighty yards of him. He was setting
with his breast to me ; and so I put fresh priming
in my gun, and fired at him. At this he raised
one of his paws and snorted loudly. I loaded
again as quick as I could, and fired as near the
same place in his breast as possible. At the
crack of my gun here he came tumbling down ;
and the moment he touched the ground, I heard
one of my best dogs cry out. I took my toma-
hawk in one hand, and my big butcher-knife in
the other, and run up within four or five paces of
him, at which he let my dog go, and fixed his

164 THE LIFE OF

eyes on me. I got back in all sorts of a hurry,
for I know'd if he got hold of me, he would hug
me altogether too close for comfort. I went to
my gun and hastily loaded her again, and shot
him the third time, which killed him good.

I now began to think about getting him home,
but I didn't know how far it was. So I left him
and started ; and in order to find him again, I
would blaze a sapling every little distance, which
would show me the way back. I continued this
till I got within about a mile of home, for there I
know'd very well where I was, and that I could
easily find the way back to my blazes. When I got
home, I took my brother-in-law, and my young
man, and four horses, and went back. We got
there just before dark, and struck up a fire, and
commenced butchering my bear. It was some
time in the night before we finished it ; and I
can assert, on my honour, that I believe he would
have weighed six hundred pounds. It was the
second largest I ever saw. I killed one, a few
years after, that weighed six hundred and seven-
teen pounds. I now felt fully compensated for
my sufferings in going after my powder ; and well
satisfied that a dog might sometimes be doing a
good business, even when he seemed to be hark-
ing up the ivrong tree. We got our meat home.

DAVID CROCKETT. 1^5

and I had the pleasure to know that we now had
plenty, and that of the best ; and I continued
through the winter to supply my family abun-
dantly with bear-meat and venison from the
woods.

IQQ THE LIFE OF

CHAPTER XIII.

I HAD on hand a great many skins, and so, in the
month of February, I packed a horse with them,
and taking my eldest son along with me, cut out
for a little town called Jackson, situated about
forty miles off. We got there well enough, and
I sold my skins, and bought me some coffee, and
sugar, powder, lead, and salt. I packed them all
up in readiness for a start, which I intended to
make early the next morning. Morning came,
but I concluded, before I started, I would go and
take a horn with some of my old fellow-soldiers
that I had met with at Jackson.

I did so ; and while we were engaged in this,
I met with three candidates for the Legislature ;
a Doctor Butler, who was, by marriage, a ne-
phew to General Jackson, a Major Lynn, and a
Mr. McEver, all first-rate men. We all took a
horn together, and some person present said to me,
" Crockett, you must offer for the Legislature." I
told him I lived at least forty miles from any

DAVID CROCKETT. 167

white settlement, and had no thought of becom-
ing a candidate at that time. So we all parted,
and I and my little boy went on home.

It was about a week or two after this, that a
man came to my house, and told me I was a can-
didate. I told him not so. But he took out a
newspaper from his pocket, and showM me
where I was announced. I said to my wife that
this was all a burlesque on me, but I was de-
termined to make it cost the man who had put
it there at least the value of the printing, and of
the fun he wanted at my expense. So I hired
a young man to work in my place on my farm,
and turned out myself electioneering. I hadn't
been out long, before I found the people be-
gan to talk very much about the bear hunter, the
man from the cane ; and the three gentlemen,
who I have already named, soon found it ne-
cessary to enter into an agreement to have a
sort of caucus at their March court, to deter-
mine which of them was the strongest, and
the other two was to withdraw and support
him. As the court came on, each one of them
spread himself, to secure the nomination ; but
it fell on Dr. Butler, and the rest backed out.
The doctor was a clever fellow, and I have
often said he was the most talented man I ever

168 THE LIFE OF

run against for any office. His being related to
Gen'l. Jackson also helped him on very muchj but
I was in for it, and I was determined to push
ahead and go through, or stick. Their meeting
was held in Madison county, which was the
strongest in the representative district, which was
composed of eleven counties, and they seemed
bent on having the member from there.

At this time Col. Alexander was a candidate for
Congress, and attending one of his public meetings
one day, I walked to where he was treating the
people, and he gave me an introduction to several
of his acquaintances, and informed them that I was
out electioneering. In a little time my competi-
tor, Doctor Butler, came along ; he passed by
without noticing me, and I suppose, indeed, he did
not recognise me. But I hailed him, as I was for
all sorts of fun ; and when he turned to me, I said
to him, " Well, doctor, I suppose they have weigh-
ed you out to me ; but I should like to know why
they fixed your election for March instead oiJlu-
gust ? This is,'^ said I, " a branfire new way of do-
ing business, if a caucus is to make a representative
for the people!" He now discovered who I was,
and cried out, " D — n it, Crockett, is that you ?" —
" Be sure it is," said I, " but I don^t want it under-
stood that I have come electioneering. I have just

DAVID CROCKETT. 169

crept out of the cane, to see what discoveries I could
make among the white folks." I told him that
when I set out electioneering, I would go prepared
to put every man on as good footing when I left
him as I found him on. I would therefore have
me a large buckskin hunting-shirt made, with a
couple of pockets holding about a peck each ;
and that in one I would carry a great big
twist of tobacco, and in the other my bottle of li-
quor ; for I knowed when 1 met a man and offered
him a dram, he would throw out his quid of to-
bacco to take one, and after he had taken his horn,
I would out with my twist and give him another
chaw. And in this way he would not be worse
off than when I found him ; and I would be sure
to leave him in a first-rate good humour. He said
I could beat him electioneering all hollow. I told
him I would give him better evidence of that be-
fore August, notwithstanding he had many advan-
tages over me, and particularly in the way of mo-
ney ; but I told him that I would go on the pro-
ducts of the country; that I had industrious chil-
dren, and the best of coon dogs, and they would
hunt every night till midnight to support my elec-
tion ; and when the coon fur wa'n't good, I would
myself go a wolfing, and shoot down a wolf, and

skin his head, and his scalp would be good to nie

P

■[70 THE LIFE OF

for three dollars, in our state treasury money ; and
in this way I would get along on the big string.
He stood like he was both amused and astonished,
and the whole crowd was in a roar of laughter.
From this place I returned home, leaving the peo-
ple in a first-rate way ; and I was sure I would
do a good business among them. At any rate, I
was determined to stand up to my lick-log, salt or
no salt.

In a short time there came out two other candi-
dates, a Mr. Shaw and a Mr. Brown. We all ran
the race through; and when the election was over,
it turned out that I beat them all by a majority of
two hundred and forty-seven votes, and was again
returned as a member of the Legislature from a
new region of the country, without losing a ses-
sion. This reminded me of the old saying — " A
fool for luck, and a poor man for children."

I now served two years in that body from my
new district, which was the years 1823 and '24.
At the session of 1823, I had a small trial of my
independence, and whether I would forsake prin-
ciple for party, or for the purpose of following
after big men.

The term of Col. John Williams had expired, who
was a senator in Congress from the state of Ten-
nessee. He was a candidate for another election,

DAVID CROCKETT.. 17X

and was opposed by Pleasant M, Miller, Esq.,
who, it was believed, would not be able to beat
the colonel. Some two or three others were
spoken of, but it was at last concluded that the only-
man who could beat him was the present " go-
vernment," General Jackson, So, a few days be-
fore the election was to come on, he was sent for
to come and run for the senate. He was then in
nomination for the presidency ; but sure enough
he came, and did run as the opponent of Colonel
Williams, and beat him too, but not by my vote.
The vote was, for Jackson, thirty-jive ; for Wil
liams, twenty-Jive. I thought the colonel had
honestly discharged his duty, and even the mighty
name of Jackson couldn't make me vote against
him.

But voting against the old chief was found a
mighty up-hill business to all of them except my-
self. I never would, nor never did, acknowledge
I had voted wrong ; and I am more certain now
that I was right than ever.

I told the people it was the best vote I ever
' gave ; that I had supported the public interest, and
cleared my conscience in giving it, instead of
gratifying the private ambition of a man.

I let the people know as early as then, that I

172

THE LIFE OF

wouldn't take a collar around my neck with the
letters engraved on it,

MY DOG.

Andrew Jackson.

During these two sessions of the Legislature, no-
thing else turned up which I think it worth while
to mention j and, indeed, I am fearful that I am
too particular about many small matters; but if so,
my apology is, that I want the world to under-
stand my true history, and how I worked along
to rise from a cane-brake to my present station
in life.

Col. Alexander was the representative in Con-
gress of the district I lived in, and his vote on the
tariff law of 1824 gave a mighty heap of dissatis-
faction to his people. They therefore began to
talk pretty strong of running me for Congress
against him. At last I was called on by a good
many to be a candidate. I told the people that I
couldn't stand that; it was a step above my know-
ledge, and I know'd nothing about Congress
matters.

However, I was obliged to agree to run, and my-
self and two other gentlemen came out. But Pro

DAVID CROCKETT. I73

vidence was a little against two of us this hunt, for it
was the year that cotton brought twenty-five dollars
a hundred ; and so Colonel Alexander would get
up and tell the people, it was all the good effect of
this tariff law ; that it had raised the price of their
cotton, and that it would raise the price of every
thing else they made to sell. I might as well have
sung salms over a dead horse, as to try to make
the people believe otherwise ; for they knowed
their cotton had raised, sure enough, and if the
colonel hadnH done it, they didn't know what
had. So he rather made a mash of me this time,
as he beat me exactly two votes, as they counted
the polls, though I have always believed that many
other things had been as fairly done as that same
count.

He went on, and served out his term, and at
the end of it cotton was down to six or eight
dollars a hundred again ; and I concluded I would
try him once more, and see how it would go
with cotton at the common price, and so T t-'--
a candidate.

174 THE J.TFE OF

CHAPTER XIV.

But the reader, I expect, would have no objec-
tion to know a little about my employment during
the two years while my competitor was in Con-
gress. In this space I had some pretty tuff times,
and will relate some few things that happened to
me. So here goes, as the boy said when he run
by himself.

In the fall of 1825, I concluded I would build
two large boats, and load them with pipe staves
for market. So I went down to the lake, which
was about twenty-five miles from where I lived,
and hired some hands to assist me, and went to
work 5 some at boat building, and others to get-
ting staves. I worked on with my hands till the
bears got fat, and then I turned out to hunting, to
lay in a supply of meat. I soon killed and salted
down as many as were necessary for my family ;
but about this time one of my old neighbours, who
had settled down on the lake about twenty-five
miles from me, came to my house and told me

DAVID CI^OCKETT. 175

he wanted me to go clown and kill some bears
about in his parts. He said they were extremely
fat, and very plenty. I know'd that when they
were fat, they were easily taken, for a fat bear
can't run fast or long. But I asked a bear no fa-
vours, no way, further than civility, for I now
had eight large dogs, and as fierce as painters ;
so that a bear stood no chance at all to get away
from them. So I went home with him, and then
went on down towards the Mississippi, and com-
menced hunting.

We were out two weeks, and in that time killed
fifteen bears. Having now supplied my friend
with plenty of meat, I engaged occasionally again
with my hands in our boat building, and getting
staves. But I at length couldn't stand it any
longer without another hunt. So I concluded to
take my little son, and cross over the lake, and
take a hunt there. We got over, and that evening
turned out and killed three bears, in little or no
time. The next morning we drove up four forks,
and made a sort of scaffold, on which we salted
up our meat, so as to have it out of the reach of
the wolves, for as soon as we would leave our
camp, they would take possession. We had just
eat our breakfast, when a company of hunters
came to our camp, who had fourteen dogs, but all

176 ' THE LIFE OF

SO poor, that when they would bark they would
almost have to lean up against a tree and take
a rest. I told them their dogs couldn't run in
smell of a bear, and they had better stay at my
camp, and feed them on the bones I had cut out
of my meat. I left them there, and cut out ; but
I hadn't gone far, when my dogs took a first-rate
start after a very large fat old he-bear, which run
right plump towards my camp. I pursued on,
but my other hunters had heard my dogs coming,
and met them, and killed the bear before I got up
with him. I gave him to them, and cut out again
for a creek called Big Clover, which wa'n't very
far off. Just as I got there, and was entering a
cane brake, my dogs all broke and vv^ent ahead,
and, in a little time, they raised a fuss in the cane,
and seemed to be going every way. I listened a
while, and found my dogs was in two companies,
and that both was in a snorting fight. I sent my
little son to one, and I broke for t'-other. I got to
mine first, and found xn.y dogs had a two-year-old
bear dov/n, a-wooling away on him ; so I just
took out my big butcher, and went up and slap'd
it into him, and killed him without shooting.
There was five of the dogs in my company. Ii
a short time, I heard my little son fire at his bear „
when I went to him he had killed it too. H(

DAVID CROCKETT. I77

had two dogs in his team. Just at this moment
we heard my other dog barking a short distance
off, and all the rest immediately broke to him.
We pushed on too, and when we got there, we
found he had still a larger bear than either of them
we had killed, treed by himself We killed that
one also, which made three we had killed in less
than half an hour. We turned in and butchered
them, and then started to hunt for water, and a
good place to camp. But we had no sooner
started, than our dogs took a start after another
one, and away they went like a thunder-gust, and
was out of hearing in a minute. We followed the
way they had gone for some time, but at length,
we gave up the hope of finding them, and turned
back. As we were going back, I came to where
a poor fellow was grubbing, and he looked like
the very picture of hard times. I asked him
what he was doing away there in the woods by
himself? He said he was grubbing for a man who
intended to settle there ; and the reason why he
did it was, that he had no meat for his family,
and he was working for a little.

I w^as mighty sorry for the poor fellow, for
it was not only a hard, but a very slow way to
get meat for a hungry family ; so I told him if he
would go with me, I would give him more meat

178 THE LIFE OF

than he could get by grubbing in a month. I in-
tended to supply him with meat, and also to get
him to assist my little boy in packing in and salt-
ing up my bears. He had never seen a bear kill
ed in his life. T told him I had six killed then,
and my dogs were hard after another. He went
off to his little cabin, which was a short distance
in the brush, and his wife was very anxious he
should go with me. So we started and went to
where I had left my three bears, and made a camp.
We then gathered my meat and salted, and scaf-
fled it, as I had done the other. Night now came
on, but no word from my dogs yet. I afterwards
found they had treed the bear about five miles
off, near to a man's house, and had barked at it
the whole enduring night. Poor fellows ! many
a time they looked for me, and wondered why I
didn't come, for they knowed there Was no mis-
take in me, and I know'd they were as good as
ever fluttered. In the morning, as soon as it was
light enough to see, the man took his gun and
went to them, and shot the bear, and killed it. My
dogs, however, wouldn't have any thing to say to
this stranger ; so they left him, and came early in
the morning back to me.

We got our breakfast, and cut out again ; and
we killed four large and very fat bears that day.

DAVID CROCKETT. I79

We hunted out the week, and in that time we
killed seventeen, all of them first-rate. When
we closed our hunt, I gave the man over a
thousand weight of fine fat bear-meat, which
pleased him mightily, and made him feel as
rich as a Jew. I saw him the next fall, and he
told me he had plenty of meat to do him the
whole year from his week's hunt. My son and
me now went home. This was the week between
Christmass and New-year that we made this hunt.
When I got home, one of my neighbours was
out of meat, and wanted me to go back, and
let him go with me, to take another hunt. I
couldn't refuse ; but I told him I 5vas afraid the
bear had taken to house by that time, for after
they get very fat in the fall and early part of the
winter, they go into their holes, in large hollow
trees, or into hollow logs, or their cane-houses,
or the harricanes ; and lie there till spring, like
frozen snakes. And one thing about this will
seem mighty strange to many people. Fronr
about the first of January to about the last of
April, these varments lie in their holes altogether.
In all that time they have no food to eat j and yet
when they come out, they are not an ounce lighter
-than when they went to house. I don't know the
cause of this, and still 1 know it is a fact ; and I

180 THE LIFE OF

leave it for others who have more learning than
myself to account for it. They have not a particle
of food with them, but they just lie and suck the
bottom of their paw all the time. I have killed
many of them in their trees, which enables me to
speak positively on this subject. However, my
neighbour, whose name was McDaniel, and my
little son and me, went on down to the lake to
my second camp, where I had killed my seventeen
bears the week before, and turned out to hunting.
But we hunted hard all day without getting a sin-
gle start. We had carried but little provisions with
us, and the next morning was entirely out of meat.
I sent my son about three miles oflf, to the house
of an old friend, to get some. The old gentleman
was much pleased to hear I was hunting in those
parts, for the year before the bears had killed a
great many of his hogs. He was that day killing
his bacon hogs, and so he gave my son some meat,
and sent word to me that I must come in to his
house that evening, that he would have plenty of
feed for my dogs, and some accommodations for
ourselves ; but before my son got back, we had
gone out hunting, and in a large cane brake my
dogs found a big bear in a cane-house, which he
had fixed for his winter-quarters, as they some-
times do.

DAVID CROCKETT. Igl

When my lead dog found him, and raised
the yell, all the rest broke to him, but none of
them entered his house until we got up. I en-
couraged my dogs, and they knowed me so well,
that I could have made them seize the old serpent
himself, with all his horns and heads, and cloven
foot and ugliness into the bargain, if he would
only have come to light, so that they could have
seen him. They bulged in, and in an instant the
bear followed them out, and I told my friend to
shoot him, as he was mighty wrathy to kill a bear.
He did so, and killed him prime. We carried him
to our camp, by which time my son had returned ;
and after we got our dinners we packed up, and
cut for the house of my old friend, whose name
was Davidson.

We got there, and staid with him that night ;
and the next morning, having salted up our meat,
we left it with him, and started to take a hunt be-
tween the Obion lake and the Red-foot lake ; as
there had been a dreadful harricane, which passed
between them, and I was sure there must be a
heap of bears in the fallen timber. We had gone
about five miles without seeing any sign at all ;
but at length we got on some high cany ridges,
and, as we rode along, I saw a hole in a large
black oak, and on examining more closely, I dis-

Q

182 THE LIFE OF

covered that a bear had clomb the tree. I could
see his tracks going up, but none coming down,
and so I was sure he was in there. A person who is
acquainted with bear-hunting, can tell easy enough
when the varment is in the hollow ; for as they
go up they don't slip a bit, but as they come down
they make long scratches wath their nails.

My friend was a little ahead of me, but I called
him back, and told him there v/as a bear in that
tree, and I must have him out. So w^e lit from
our horses, and I found a small tree which I
thought I could fall so as to lodge against my bear
tree, and we fell to work chopping it with our
tomahawks. I intended, when we lodged the tree
against the other, to let my little son go up, and
look into the hole, for he could climb like a squir-
rel. We had chop'd on a little time and stop'd to
rest, when I heard my dogs barking mighty se-

»

vere at some distance from us, and I told my friend
I knowed they had a bear ; for it is the nature
of a dog, when he finds you are hunting bears,
to hunt for nothing else ; he becomes fond of the
meat, and considers other game as " not w^orth a
notice," as old Johnson said of the devil.

We concluded to leave our tree a bit, and w^ent
to my dogs, and when we got there, sure enough
they had an eternal great big fat bear up a tree,

DAVID CROCKETT. 1Q3

just ready for shooting. My friend again peti-
tioned me for liberty to shoot this one also. I had
a little rather not, as the bear was so big, but I
couldn't refuse ; and so he blazed away, and down
came the old fellow like some great log had fell.
I now missed one of my dogs, the same that I be-
fore spoke of as having treed the bear by himself
sometime before, when I had started the three in
the cane break. I told my friend that my missing
dog had a bear somewhere, just as sure as fate ; so
I left them to butcher the one we had just killed,
and I went up on a piece of high ground to listen
for my dog. I heard him barking with all his
might some distance off, and I pushed ahead for
him. My other dogs hearing him broke to him,
and when I got there, sure enough again he had
another bear ready treed ; if he hadn't, I wish
I may be shot. I fired on him, and brought
him down ; and then went back, and help'd
finish butchering the one at which I had left
my friend. We then packed both to our tree
where we had left my boy. By this time, the lit-
tle fellow had cut the tree down that we intended
to lodge, but it fell the wrong w^ay ; he had then
feather'd in on the big tree, to cut that, and had
found that it was nothing but a shell on the out-
side, and all doted in the middle, as too many of

184 THE LIFE OF

our big men are in these days, having only an out-
side appearance. My friend and my son cut away
on it, and I went off about a hundred yards with
my dogs to keep them from running under the
tree when it should fall. On looking back at the
hole, I saw the bear's head out of it, looking down
at them as they were cutting. I hollered to them
to look up, and they did so ; and McDaniel catch-
ed up his gun, but by this time the bear was out,
and coming down the tree. He fired at it, and as
soon as it touch'd ground the dogs were all round
it, and they had a roll-and-tumble fight to the foot
of the hill, where they stop'd him. I ran up, and j
putting my gun against the bear, fired and killed
him. We now had three, and so we made our
scaffold and salted them up.

DAVID CROCKETT. Ig5

CHAPTER XV.

In the morning I left my son at the camp, and
we started on towards the harricane j and when
we had went about a mile, we started a very large
bear, but we got along mighty slow on account of
the cracks in the earth occasioned by the earth-
quakes. We, however, made out to keep in hear-
ing of the dogs for about three miles, and then
we come to the harricane. Here we had to quit
our horses, as old Nick himself couldn't have got
through it without sneaking it along in the form
that he put on, to make a fool of our old grand-
mother Eve. By this time several of my dogs
had got tired and come back ; but we went ahead
on foot for some little time in the harricane, when
we met a bear coming straight to us, and not
more than twenty or thirty yards off. I started
my tired dogs after him, and McDaniel pursued
them, and I went on to where my other dogs
were. I had seen the track of the bear they were
after, and I knowed he was a screamer. I fol-

Q.2

186 '^HE LIFE OF

lowed on to about the middle of the harricane ;
but my dogs pursued him so close, that they made
him climb an old stump about twenty feet high.
I got in shooting distance of him and fired, but
I was all over in such a flutter from fatigue and
running, that I couldn't hold steady ; but, how-
ever, I broke his shoulder, and he fell. I run up
and loaded my gun as quick as possible, and shot
him again and killed him. When I went to take
out my knife to butcher him, I found I had lost
it in coming through the harricane. The vines
and briers was so thick that I would sometimes
have to get down and crawl like a varment to get
tJirough at all ; and a vine had, as I supposed,
caught in the handle and pulled it out. While I
was standing and studying what to do, my friend
came to me. He had followed my trail through
the harricane, and had found my knife, which was
mighty good news to me ; as a hunter hates the
worst in the world to lose a good dog, or any
part of his hunting-tools. I now left McDaniel
to butcher the bear, and I v\^ent after our horses,
and brought them as near as the nature of case
would allow. I then took our bags, and went back
to where he was ; and when we had skin'd the
bear, we fleeced ofi* the fat and carried it to our
horses at several loads. We then packed it up

DAVID CROCKETT. Ig7

on our horses, and had a heavy pack of it on
each one. We now started and went on till about
sunset, when I concluded we must be near our
camp ; so I hollered and my son answered me,
and we moved on in the direction to the camp.
We had gone but a little way when I heard my
dogs make a warm start again ; and I jumped
down from my horse and gave him up to my
friend, and told him I would follow them. He
went on to the camp, and I went ahead after my
dogs with all my might for a considerable dis-
tance, till at last night came on. The woods were
very rough and hilly, and all covered over with
cane.

I now was compePd to move on more slowly ;
and was frequently falling over logs, and into the
cracks made by the earthquakes, so that I was
very much afraid I would break my gun. How-
ever I went on about three miles, when I came to
a good big creek, which I waded. It was very
cold, and the creek was about knee-deep ; but I
felt no great inconvenience from it just then, as I
was all over wxt with sweat from running, and T
felt hot enough. After I got over this creek and
out of the cane, which was very thick on all our
creeks, I listened for my dogs. I found they had
either treed or brought the bear to a stop, as they

133 THE LIFE OF

continued barking in the same place. I pushed on
as near in the direction to the noise as I could, till
I found the hill was too steep for me to climb,
and so I backed and went down the creek some
distance till I came to a hollow, and then took up
that, till I come to a place where I could climb up
the hill. It was mighty dark, and was difficult to
see my way or any thing else. When I got up
the hill, I found I had passed the dogs ; and so I
turned and went to them. I found, when I got
there, they had treed the bear in a large forked
poplar, and it was setting in the fork.

I could see the lump, but not plain enough to
shoot with any certainty, as there was no moon-
light ; and so I set in to hunting for some dry
brush to make me a light ; but I could find none,
though I could find that the ground was torn
mightily to pieces by the cracks.

At last I thought I could shoot by guess, and kill
him ; so I pointed as near the lump as I could, and
fired away. But the bear didn't come he only
clomb up higher, and got out on a limb, which
helped me to see him better. I now loaded up
again and fired, but this time he didn't move at
all. I commenced loading for a third fire, but the
first thing I knowed, the bear was down among
my dogs, and they were fighting all around me.

DAVID CROCKETT. igg

I had my big butcher in my belt, and I had a pair
of dressed buckskin breeches on. So I took out
my knife, and stood, determined, if he should get
hold of me, to defend myself in the best way I
could. I stood there for some time, and could
now and then see a white dog I had, but the rest
of them, and the bear, which were dark coloured,
I couldn't see at all, it was so miserable dark.
They still fought around me, and sometimes
within three feet of me ; but, at last, the bear got
down into one of the cracks, that the earthquakes
had made in the ground, about four feet deep, and
I could tell the biting end of him by the hollering
of my dogs. So I took my gun and pushed the
muzzle of it about, till I thought I had it against
the main part of his body, and fired ; but it hap-
pened to be only the fleshy part of his foreleg.
With this, he jumped out of the crack, and he
and the dogs had another hard fight around me,
as before. At last, however, they forced him
back into the crack again, as he was when I had
shot.

' I had laid down my gun in the dark, and I now
began to hunt for it ; and, while hunting, I got
hold of a pole, and I concluded I would punch
him awhile with that. I did so, and when I
would punch him, the dogs would jump in on

190 '^HE LIFE OF

him, when he would bite them badly, and they
would jump out again. I concluded, as he would
take punching so patiently, it might be that he
would lie still enough for me to get down in the
crack, and feel slowly along till I could find the
right place to give him a dig with my butcher.
So I got down, and my dogs got in before him
and kept his head towards them, till I got along
easily up to him ; and placing my hand on his
rump, felt for his shoulder, just behind which
I intended to stick him. I made a lounge with
my long knife, and fortunately stuck him right
through the heart ; at which he just sank down,
and I crawled out in a hurry. In a little time
my dogs all come out too, and seemed satisfied,
which was the way they always had of telling
me that they had finished him.

I suffered very much that night with cold, as
my leather breeches, and every thing else I had
on, was wet and frozen. But I managed to get
my bear out of this crack after several hard trials,
and so I butchered him, and laid down to try to
sleep. But my fire was very bad, and I couldn't
find any thing that would burn well to make it
any better ; and I concluded I should freeze, if I
didn't warm myself in some way by exercise.
So I got up, and hollered a while, and then I

DAVID CROCKETT. X91

would just jump up and down with all my might,
and throw myself into all sorts of motions. But
all this wouldn't do ; for my blood was now
getting cold, and the chills coming all over me.
I was so tired, too, that I could hardly walk ; but I
thought I would do the best I could to save my
life, and then, if I died, nobody would be to
blame. So 1 went to a tree about two feet through,
and not a limb on it for thirty feet, and I would
climb up it to the lianhs, and then lock my arms
together around it, and slide down to the bottom
again. This would make the insides of my legs
and arms feel mighty warm and good. I continued
this till daylight in the morning, and how often I
clomb up my tree and slid down I don't know,
but I reckon at least a hundred times.

In the morning I got my bear hung up so as to
be safe, and then set out to hunt for my camp. I
found it after a while, and McDaniel and my son
were very much rejoiced to see me get back, for
they were about to give me up for lost. We got
our breakfasts, and then secured our meat by
building a high scaffold, and covering it over.
We had no fear of its spoiling, for the weather was
so cold that it couldn't.

We now started after my other bear, which had
caused me so much trouble and suffering ; and be-

192 THE LIFE OF

fore we got him, we got a start after another, and
took him also. We went on to the creek I had
crossed the night before and camped, and then
went to where my bear was, that I had killed in
the crack. When we examined the place, McDa-
niel said he wouldn't have gone into it, as I did,
for all the bears in the woods.

We took the meat down to our camp and salted
it, and also the last one we had killed ; intending,
in the morning, to make a hunt in the harricane
again.

• We prepared for resting that night, and I can
assure the reader I was in need of it. We had
laid down by our fire, and about ten o'clock there
came a most terrible earthquake, which shook the
earth so, that we were rocked about like we had
been in a cradle. We were very much alarmed ;
for though we were accustomed to feel earth-
quakes, we were now right in the region which
had been torn to pieces by them in 1812, and we
thought it might take a notion and swallow us up,
like the big fish did Jonah.

In the morning we packed up and moved to the
harricane, where we made another camp, and
turned out that evening and killed a very large
bear, which made eight we had now killed in
this hunt.

DAVID CROCKETT. 193

The next morning we entered the harricane
again, and in little or no time my dogs were in
full cry. We pursued them, and soon came to. a
thick cane-brake, in which they had stop'd their
bear. We got up close to him, as the cane was
so thick that we couldn't see more than a few
feet. Here I made my friend hold the cane a
little open with his gun till 1 shot the bear,
which was a mighty large one. I killed him
dead in his tracks. We got him out and butch-
ered him, and in a little time started another
and killed him, which now made ten we had
killed ; and we know'd we couldn't pack any
more home, as we had only five horses along ;
therefore we returned to the camp and salted up
all our meat, to be ready for a start homeward
next morning.

The morning came, and we packed our horses
with the meat, and had as much as they could pos-
sibly carry, and sure enough cut out for home. It
was about thirty miles, and we reached home the
second day. I had now accommodated my neigh-
bour with meat enough to do him, and had killed
in all, up to that time, fifty-eight bears, during the
fall and winter.

As soon as the time come for them to quit

their houses and come out again in the spring,

R

194

THE LIFE OF

I took a notion to hunt a little more, and in
about one month I killed forty-seven more, which
made one hundred and five bears I had killed in
less than one year from that time.

i

■■1

i,

DAVID CROCKETT. 195

CHAPTER XVI.

Having now closed my hunting for that winter,
I returned to my hands, who were engaged about
my boats and staves, and made ready for a trip
down the river. I had two boats and about
thirty thousand staves, and so I loaded with them,
and set out for New Orleans. I got out of the
Obion river, in which I had loaded my boats,
very well ; but when I got into the Mississippi, I
found all my hands were bad scared, and in fact I be-
lieve I was scared a little the worst of any ; for
I had never been down the river, and I soon dis-
covered that my pilot was as ignorant of the business
as myself. I hadn't gone far before I determined to
lash the two boats together ; we did so, but it made
them so heavy and obstinate, that it was next akin
to impossible to do any thing at all with them, or
to guide them right in the river.

That evening we fell in company with some
Ohio boats ; and about night we tried to land, but
we could not. The Ohio men hollered to us to

196 THE LIFE OF

go on and run all night. Yfe took their advice,
though we had a good deal rather not ; but we
couldn't do any other way. In a short distance we
got into what is called the '' DeviVs Elhow f^ and
if any place in the wide creation has its own proper
name, I thought it was this. Here we had about
the hardest work that I ever was engaged in, in
my life, to keep out of danger ; and even then
we were in it all the while. We twice attempted
to land at Wood-yards, which we could see, but
couldn't reach.

The people would run out with lights, and try
to instruct us how to get to shore ; but all in vain.
Our boats were so heavy that we couldn't take
them much any way, except the way they wanted
to go, and just the way the current would carry
them. At last we quit trying to land, and con-
cluded just to go ahead as well as we could, for
we found we couldn't do any better. Some time
in the night I was down in the cabin of one of
the boats, sitting by the fire, thinking on what a
hobble we had got into ; and how much better
bear-hunting was on hard land, than floating along
on the water, when a fellow had to go ahead
whether he was exactly willing or not.

The hatchway into the cabin came slap down,
right through the top of the boat ; and it was the

DAVID CROCKETT. I97

only way out except a small hole in the side,
which we had used for putting our arms through
to dip up water before we lashed the boats to-
gether.

We were now floating sideways, and the boat I
was in was the hindmost as we went. All at once
I heard the hands begin to run over the top of the
boat in great confusion, and pull with all their
might : and the first thing I know'd after this
we went broadside full tilt against the head of an
island where a large raft of drift timber had lodged.
The nature of such a place would be, as every
body knows, to suck the boats down, and turn
them right under this raft ; and the uppermost
boat would, of course, be suck'd down and go un-
der first. As soon as we struck, I bulged for my
hatchway, as the boat was turning under sure
enough. But when I got to it, the water was pour-
ing thro' in a current as large as the hole would
let it, and as strong as the weight of the river
could force it. I found I couldn't get out here,
for the boat was now turned down in such a way,
that it was steeper than a house-top. I now
thought of the hole in the side, and made my
way in a hurry for that. With difficulty I got to
it, and when I got there, I found it was too small

for me to get out by my own dower, and I began

r2

198 THE LIFE OF

to think that I was in a worse box than ever.
But I put my arms through and hollered as loud
as I could roar, as the boat I was in hadn't yet
quite filled with water up to my head, and the
hands who were next to the raft, seeing my arms
out, and hearing me holler, seized them, and be-
gan to pull. I told them I was sinking, and to
pull my arms oj0f, or force me through, for now I
know'd well enough it was neck or nothing, come
out or sink.

By a violent effort they jerked me through -,
but I was in a pretty pickle when I got through.
I had been sitting without any clothing over my
shirt : this was torn off, and I was literally
skin'd like a rabbit. I was, however, well pleased
to get out in any way, even without shirt or
hide ; as before I could straighten myself on the
boat next to the raft, the one they pull'd me out
of went entirely under, and I have never seen it
any more to this day. We all escaped on to the
raft, where we were compelled to sit all night,
about a mile from land on either side. Four of
my company were bareheaded, and three bare-
footed ; and of that number I was one. I reckon
1 looked like a pretty cracklin ever to get to
Congress ! ! !

We had now lost all our loading ; and every

DAVID CROCKETT. 199

particle of our clotliing, except what little we had
on ; but over all this, while I was setting there,
in the night, floating about on the drift, I felt hap-
pier and better off than I ever had in my life be-
fore, for I had just made such a marvellous escape,
that I had forgot almost every thing else in that ;
and so I felt prime.

In the morning about sunrise, we saw a boat
coming down, and we hailed her. They sent a
large skiff, and took us all on board, and carried us
down as far as Memphis. Here I met with a
friend, that I never can forget as long as I am able
to go ahead at any thing ; it was a Major Win-
chester, a merchant of that place : he let us all
have hats, and shoes, and some little money to go
upon, and so we all parted.

A young man and myself concluded to go on
down to Natchez, to see if we could hear any thing
of our boats ; for we supposed they would float
out from the raft, and keep on down the river.
We got on a boat at Memphis, that was going
down, and so cut out. Our largest boat, we were
informed, had been seen about fifty miles below
where we stove, and an attempt had been made
to land her, but without success, as she was as hard-
headed as ever.

This was the kst of my boats, and of my boat-

200 '^HE LIFE OF

ing ; for it went so badly with me, along at the
first, that I hadn't much mind to try it any
more. I now returned home again, and as the
next August was the Congressional election, I be-
gan to turn my attention a little to that matter, as
it was beginning to be talked of a good deal among
the people.

DAVID CROCKETT. 201

CHAPTER XVII.

I HAVE, heretofore, informed the reader that I
had determined to run this race to see what effect
the price of cotton could have again on it. I now
had Col. Alexander to run against once more, and
also General William Arnold.

I had difficulties enough to fight against this
time, as every one will suppose ; for I had no
money, and a very bad prospect, so far as I know'd,
of getting any to help me along. I had, however,
a good friend, who sent for me to come and see
him. I went, and he was good enough to offer
me some money to help me out. I borrowed
as much as I thought I needed at the start, and
went ahead. My friend also had a good deal of
business about over the district at the different
courts ; and if he now and then slip'd in a
good word for me, it is nobody's business.
We frequently met at different places, and,
as he thought I needed, he would occasionally
hand me a little more cash ; so I was able to buy

202 THE LIFE OP

a little of " the creature,'^ to put my friends in a
good humour, as well as the other gentlemen, for
they all treat in that country ; not to get elected,
of course — for that would be against the law ; but
just, as I before said, to make themselves and their
friends feel their keeping a little.

Nobody ever did know how I got money to
get along on, till after the election was over, and
I had beat my competitors twenty-seven hun-
dred and forty-eight votes. Even the price of
cotton couldn't save my friend Aleck this time.
My rich friend, who had been so good to me in
the way of money, now sent for me, and loaned
me a hundred dollars, and told me to go ahead ;
that that amount would bear my expenses to Con-
gress, and I must then shift for myself. I came
on to Washington, and draw'd two hundred and
fifty dollars, and purchased with it a check on the
bank at Nashville, and enclosed it to mv friend ;
and I may say, in truth, I sent this money with a
mighty good will, for I reckon nobody in this
world loves a friend better than me, or remembers
a kindness longer.

I have now given the close of the election, but
I have skip'd entirely over the canvass, of which
I will say a very few things in this place ; as I
know very well how to tell the truth, but not much

DAVID CROCKETT. 203

about placing them in book order, so as to please
critics.

Col. Alexander was a very clever fellow, and
principal surveyor at that time ; so much for one of
the men I had to run against. My other competi-
tor was a major-general in the militia, and an at-
torney-general at the law, and quite a smart, clever
man also ; and so it will be seen I had war work
as well as law trick, to stand up under. Taking
both together, they make a pretty considerable
of a load for any one man to carry. But for
war claims, I consider myself behind no man
except " the government," and mighty little, if
any, behind him ; but this the people will have
to determine hereafter, as I reckon it won't do
to quit the work of " reform and retrenchment"
yet for a spell.

But my two competitors seemed some little
afraid of the influence of each other, but not to
think me in their way at all. They, therefore,
were generally working against each other, while
I was going ahead for myself, and mixing among
the people in the best way I could. I was as cun-
ning as a little red fox, and wouldn't risk my tail
in a " committal" trap.

I found the sign was good, almost everywhere
I went. On one occasion, while we were in the

204 THE LIFE OF

eastern coundcs of the district, it happened that
we all liad to make a speech, and it fell on nie to
make the first one. I did so after mv manner,
and it turned pretty much on the old saying, " A
short horse is soon curried/' as I spoke not very
long. Colonel Alexander followed me, and then
General Arnold come on.

The general took much pains to reply to Alex-
ander, but didn't so much as let on that there was
any such candidate as myself at all. He had
been speaking for a considerable time, when a
large flock of guinea-fowls came very near to
where he was, and set up the most unmerciful
chattering that ever was heard, for they are a noisy
little brute any way. They so confused the ge-
neral, that he made a stop, and requested that they
might be driven away. I let him finish his speech,
and then walking up to him, said aloud, '^AVell,
colonel, you are the first man I ever saw that un-
derstood the lamiuao-e of fowls." I told him that
he had not had the politeness to name me in his
speech, and that wlien my little friends, the guinea-
fowls, had come up and began to holler ''Crockett,
Crockett, Crockett,"- he had been ungenerous
enough to stop, and drive theyn all away. This
raised a universal shout among the people for me,
and the general seemed mighty bad plagued. But

DAVID CROCKETT. 205

he got more plagued than this at the polls in Au-
gust, as I have stated before.

This election was in 1827, and I can say, on
my conscience, that I was, without disguise, the
friend and supporter of General Jackson, upon
his principles as he laid them down, and as "/
understood them,^^ before his election as presi-
dent. During my two first sessions in Congress,
Mr. Adams was president, and I worked along
with what was called the Jackson party pretty
well. I was re-tilectcd to Congress, in 1829, by
an overwhelming majority ; and soon after the
commencement of this second term, I saw, or
thought I did, that it was expected of me that I
was to bow to the name of Andrew Jackson, and
follow him in all his motions, and mindings, and
turnings, even at the expense of my conscience
and judgment. Such a thing was new to me, and
a total stranger to my principles. I know'd well
enough, though, that if I didn't ^^ hurra'' for his
name, the hue and cry was to be raised against
me, and I was to be sacrificed, if possible. His
famous, or rather I should say his m-famoiis^ In-
dian bill was brought forward, and I opposed it
from the purest motives in the world. Several
of my colleagues got around me, and told me how

well they loved me, and that I was ruining my-

S

206 'THE LIFE OF

self. They said this was a favourite measure of
the president, and I ought to go for it. I told
them I believed it was a wicked, unjust measure,
and that I should go against it, let the cost to my-
self be what it might ; that I was willing to go
with General Jackson in every thing that I be-
lieved was honest and right; but, further than
this, I wouldn^t go for him, or any other man in
the whole creation ; that I would sooner be ho-
nestly and politically d — nd, than hypocritically
immortalized. I had been elected by a majority
of three thousand five hundred and eighty-five
votes, and I believed they were honest men, and
wouldn't want me to vote for any unjust notion,
to please Jackson or any one else ; at any rate,
I was of age, and was determined to trust them.
I voted against this Indian bill, and my conscience
yet tells me that I gave a good honest vote, and
one that I believe will not make me ashamed in
the day of judgment. I served out my term, and
though many amusing things happened, I am not
disposed to swell my narrative by inserting them.
When it closed, and I returned home, I found
the storm had raised against me sure enough ;
and it was echoed from side to side, and from end
to end of my district, that I had turned against
Jackson. This was considered the unpardonable

\

DAVID CROCKETT. 207

sin. I was hunted down like a wild varment, and
in this hunt every little newspaper in the district,
and every little pin-hook lawyer was engaged.
Indeed, they were ready to print any and every
thing that the ingenuity of man could invent
against me. Each editor was furnished with the
journals of Congress from head-quarters; and
hunted out every vote I had rk^issed in four ses-
sions, whether from sickness or not, no matter ,
and each one was charged against me at eight
dollars. In all I had missed about seventy votes,
which they made amount to five hundred and
sixty dollars ; and they contended I had swindled
the government out of this sum, as I had received
my pay, as other members do. I was now again
a candidate in 1S30, while all the attempts were
making against me ; and every one of these little
papers kept up a constant war on me, fighting
with every scurrilous report they could catch.

Over all I should have been elected, if it hadn't
been, that but a few weeks before the election, the
little four-pence-ha'penny limbs of the law fell on
a plan to defeat me, which had the desired effect.
They agreed to spread out over the district, and
make appointments for me to speak, almost every-
\vhere, to clear up the Jackson question. They
would give me no notice of these appointments,

208 '^^^ i^^^E OF

and the people would meet in great crowds to
hear what excuse Crockett had to make for quit-
ting Jackson.

But instead of Crockett's being there, this
sniall-fry of lawyers would be there, with their
saddle-bags full of the little newspapers and their
journals of Congress ; and would get up and
speak, and read their scurrilous attacks on me,
and would then tell the people that I was afraid
to attend ; and in this way would turn many
against me. All this intrigue was kept a profound
secret from me, till it was too late to counteract
it ; and when the election came, I had a majority
in seventeen counties, putting all their votes to-
gether, but the eighteenth beat me ; and so I was
left out of Congress during those two years. The
people of my distinct were induced, by these tricks,
to take a stay on me for that time ; but they have
since found out that they were imposed on, and
on re-considering my case, have reversed that de-
cision ; which, as the Dutchman said, " is as fair a
ding as eber was."

When I last declared myself a candidate, I
knew that the district would be divided by the
Legislature before the election would come on ;
and I moreover knew, that from the geographical
situation of the country, the county of Madison,

DAVIB CROCKETT. 209

which was very strong, and which was the
county that had given the majority that had beat
me in the former race, should be left off from my
district.

But when the Legislature met, as I have been
informed, and I have no doubt of the fact, Mr.
Fitzgerald, my competitor, went up, and informed
his friends in that body, that if Madison county
was left off, he wouldn't run ; for " that Crockett
could beat Jackson himself in those parts, in any
way they could fix it."

The liberal Legislature you know, of course,
gave him that county ; and it is too clear to admit
of dispute, that it was done to make a mash of me.
In order to make my district in this way, they had
to form the southern district of a string of counties
around three sides of mine, or very nearly so.
Had my old district been properly divided, it
would have made two nice ones, in convenient nice ^
form. But as it is, they are certainly the most
unreasonably laid off of any in the state, or perhaps
in the nation, or even in the te-total creation.

However, when the election came on, the peo-
ple of the district, and of Madison county among
the rest, seemed disposed to prove to Mr. Fitzge-
rald and the Jackson Legislature, that they were not

to be transferred like hogs, and horses, and cattle

s2

210 THE LIFE OF

in the market; and they determined that I shouldn't
be broke down, though I had to carry Jackson, and
the enemies of the bank, and the legislative works
all at once. I had Mr. Fitzgerald, it is true, for
my open competitor, but he was helped along by
all his little lawyers again, headed by old Black
Hawk, as he is sometimes called, (alias) Adam
Huntsman, with all his talents for writing " Chro-
nicles^^ and such like foolish stuff.

But one good thing was, and I must record it,
the papers in the district were now beginning to
say "fair play a little," and they w^ould publish
on both sides of the question. The contest was a
warm one, and the battle well-fought ; but I gained
the day, and the Jackson horse was left a little
behind. When the polls were compared, it turned
out I had beat Fitz just two hundred and two
votes, having made a mash of all their intrigues.
After all this, the reader will perceive that I am
now here in Congress, this 2Sth day of January,
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun-
dred and thirty-four ; and that, what is more
agreeable to my feelings as a freeman, I am at
liberty to vote as my conscience and judgment
dictates to be right, without the yoke of any party
on me, or the driver at my heels, with his whip in
hand, commanding me to ge-wo-haw, just at his

DAVID CROCKETT. 211

pleasure. Look at my arms, you will find no
party hand-cuff on them ! Look at my neck, you
will not find there any collar, with the engraving

MY DOG.

Andrew Jackson.

But you will find me standing up to my rack,
as the people's faithful representative, and the pub-
lic's most obedient, very humble servant,

DAVID CROCKETT.

THE END.

V. V^-i»-^/vc. vU'^i.-k^-n.

A , >. ,

\t^2^"M'&^^

:TSWUW ^IMXDJKIM'!^

WT]

COL. CROCKETT'S
EXPLOITS AND ADVENTURES

IN TEXAS:

WHEREIN IS CONTAINED

A FULL ACCOUNT OF HIS JOURNEY FROM TENNESSEE TO THE RED

RIVER AND NATCHITOCHES, AND THENCE ACROSS

TEXAS TO SAN ANTONIO ;

INCLUDING

HIS MANY HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPES ;

TOGETHER WITH

A TOPOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, AND POLITICAL
VIEW OF TEXAS.

Say, what can politicians do,

When things nin riot, plague, and vex us ?
But shoulder Jlook, and start anew,

Cut stick, and go ahead in Texas ! ! !

The Author.

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

THE ITARIIATIVE BROUGnX DOWIf FROM THE DEATH OF

COX. CKOCKBTT TO THE BATTLE OF SAIT JACINTO,

BY AN ETE-WITNESS.

SIXTH EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA :

T. K. AND P. G. COLLINS.

18 37.

■^■vv\.^v%v^^^.'»/wvH.v%^%'vvvv^^%^%^^wvv'w%%^s.^j»^v»^v^^.'vv%^%^x^%^^^.'vvvvv»%^^i»»Vv%i»^

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S36, by

T. K. & P, G. Collins,

La the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of

Pennsylvania.

x\^^fc^/»^%^WV%^W%/W»WVWfcX%X»^^^»%W^^V%%W%'»%'%^

Printed hy

T. K. & P. G, COLLINS,

No. 1 Lodge Alley, Philadelphia.

PREFACE.

Colonel Crockett, at the time of leaving
Tennessee for Texas, made a promise to his
friends that he would keep notes of what-
ever might occur to him of moment, with
the ulterior view of laying his adventures
before the public. He was encouraged in
this undertaking by the favourable manner
in which his previous publications had
been received : and if he had been spared
throughout the Texian struggle, it cannot
be doubted that he w^ould have produced a
work replete with interest, and such as
would have been universally read. His
plain and unpolished style may occasion-
ally offend the taste of those who are stick-
lers for classic refinement; while others

• « •

111

IV PREFACE.

will value it for that frankness and sincerity
which is the best voucher for the truth of
the facts he relates. The manuscript has
not been altered since it came into the pos-
session of the editor ; though it is but pro-
per to state that it had previously un-
dergone a slight verbal revision ; and
the occasional interlineations were recog-
nised to be in the handwriting of the Bee
hunter, so frequently mentioned in the
progress of the narrative. These correc-
tions were doubtless made at the author's
own request, and received his approba-
tion.

. This worthy and talented young man
was well known in New Orleans. His
parents were wealthy, he had received a
liberal education, was the pride and soul
of the circle in which he moved, but his
destiny was suddenly overshadowed by an
act in which he had no agency, but his
proud father in a moment of anger turned
his face upon him, and the romantic youth,
with a wounded spirit, commenced the

PREFACE. V

roving life which he had pursued with suc-
cess for four or five years. His father re-
cently found out the great injustice that
had been done his proud spirited son, re-
called him, and a reconciliation took place ;
but the young man had become enamoured
of Texas, and a young woman at Nacog-
doches, and had already selected a planta-
tion in Austin's colony, on which he in-
tended to have settled in the course of the
coming year. The following letter will
explain the manner in which the manu-
script was preserved, and how it came into
my possession : —

San Jacinto, May 3, 1836.

My dear friend, —

I write this from the town of Lynchburg,
on the San Jacinto, to inform you~ that I
am laid up in ordinary at this place, having
been wounded in the right knee by a mus-
ket ball, in the glorious battle of the 20th
ultimo. Having some friends residing here,
I was anxious to get among them, for an
invalid has not much chance of receiving

\l PREFACE.

proper attention from the army surgeons in
the present state of affairs. I send you a
literary curiosity, which I doubt not you
will agree with me should be laid before
the public. It is the journal of Colonel
Crockett, from the time of his leaving Ten-
nessee up to the day preceding his untimely
death at the Alamo. The manner of its
preservation was somewhat singular. The
Colonel was among the six who were found
alive in the fort after the general massacre
had ceased. General Castrillon, as you have
already learned, was favourably impressed
with his manly and courageous deportment,
and interceded for his life, but in vain.
After the fort had been ransacked, these
papers were found in the Colonel's bag-
gage, by the servant of Castrillon, who
immediately carried them to his master.
After the battle of San Jacinto, they were
found in the baggage of Castrillon, and as
I was by at the time, and recognised the
manuscript, I secured it, and saved it from
being cast away as worthlessj or torn up a^

PREFACE. Vll

cartridge paper. By way of beguiling the
tedious hours of my illness, I have added a
chapter, and brought down a history of the
events to the present time. Most of the
facts I have recorded, I gathered from
Castrillon's servant, and other Mexican
prisoners. The manuscript is at your
service to do with as you please, but I
should advise its publication, and should
it be deemed necessary, you are at liberty
to publish this letter also, by way of expla-
nation.

With sincere esteem, your friend,

Charles T. Beale.

To Alex. J. Dumas Esq., New Orleans.

The deep interest that has been taken?
for several years past, in the sayings and
doino^s of Colonel Crockett, has induced me
to lay this last of his literary labours before
the public, not doubting that it will be read
with as much avidity as his former publi-
cations, though in consequence of the death
of the author before he had revised the

Vm PREFACE.

sheets for the press, it will necessarily be
ushered into the world with many imper-
fections on its head, for which indulgence
is craved by the public's obedient servant,

Alex. J. Dumas.

New Orleans, June, 1836

ADVENTURES

IN

TEXAS,

CHAPTER I.

It is a true saying that no one knows the luck
of a lousy calf, for though in a country where,
according to the Declaration of Independence, the
people are all horn free and equal, those who have
a propensity to go ahead may aim at the highest
honours, and they may ultimately reach them too,
though they start at the lowest row^el of the ladder,
— still it is a huckelberry above my persimmon to
cipher out how it is with six months' schooling
only, I, David Crockett, find myself the most popu-
lar bookmaker of the day; and such is the demand
for my works that I cannot write them half fast
enough, no how I can fix it. This problem would
bother even my friend Major Jack Downing's rule

of three, to bring out square after all his practice

2 13

14 COLONEL Crockett's

on the Post OiFice accounts and the public lands to
boot.

I have been told that there was one Shakspeare
more than two hundred years ago, who was brought
up a hostler, but finding it a dull business, took to
WTiting plays, and made as great a stir in his time
as I do at present; which will go to show, that one
ounce of the genuine horse sense is worth a pound
of your book learning any day, and if a man is
only determined to go ahead, the more kicks he
receives in his breech the faster he will get on his
journey.

Finding it necessary to write another book, that
the whole world may be made acquainted with my
movements, and to save myself the trouble of an-
swering all the questions that are poked at me, as
if my owm private business was the business of the
nation, I set about the work, and offer the people
another proof of my capacity to write my own
messages and state papers, should I be pitched
upon to run against the Little Flying Dutchman,
a thing not unlikely from present appearances ;
but somehow I feel rather dubious that my learning
may not make against me, as " the greatest and the
best" has set the example of writing his long rig-
maroles by proxy, which I rather reckon is the
easiest plan.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 15

I begin this book on the 8th day of July, 1835,
at Home, Weakley county, Tennessee. I have
just returned from a two weeks' electioneering
canvass, and I have spoken every day to large
concourses of people with my competitor. I have
him badly plagued, for he does not know as much
about "the Government," the deposites, and the
Little Flying Dutchman, whose life I wrote, as I
can tell the people; and at times he is as much
bothered as a fly in a tar pot to get out of the mess.
A candidate is often stumped in making stump-
speeches. His name is Adam Huntsman ; he lost
a leg in an Indian fight, they say, during the last
war, and the Government run him on the score of
his military services. I tell him in my speech
that I have great hopes of writing one more book,
and that shall be the second fall of Adam, for he is
on the Eve of an almighty thrashing. He relishes
the joke about as much as a doctor does his own
physic. I handle the administration without gloves,
and I do believe I will double my competitor, if I
have a fair shake, and he does not work like a
mole in the dark. Jacksonism is dying here faster
than it ever sprung up, and I predict that "the
Government" will be the most unpopular man, in
one year more, that ever had any pretensions to the
high place he now fills. Four weeks from to-

16 COLONEL Crockett's

morrow will end the dispute in our elections, and
if old Adam is not beaten out of his hunting shirt
my name isn't Crockett.

While on the subject of election matters, I will
just relate a little anecdote, about myself, which
will show the people to the east, how we manage
these things on the frontiers. It was when I first
run for Congress; I was then in favour of the Hero,
for he had chalked out his course so sleek in his
letter to the Tennessee legislature, that, like Sam
Patch, says I, " there can be no mistake in him,'^
and so I went ahead. No one dreamt about the
monster and the deposites at that time, and so, as
I afterward found, many, like myself, were taken
in by these fair promises, which were worth about
"as much as a flash in the pan when you have a fair
shot at a fat bear.

But I am losing sight of my story. — ^Well, I
started off to the Cross Roads, dressed in my hunt-
ing shirt, and my rifle on my shoulder. Many of
our constituents had assembled there to get a taste
of the quality of the candidates at orating. Job
Snelling, a gander-shanked Yankee, who had been
caught somewhere about Plymouth Bay, and been
shipped to the west with a cargo of cod fish and
rum, erected a large shantee, and set up shop for
the occasion. A large posse of the voters had

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 17

assembled before I arrived, and my opponent had
already made considerable headway with his
speechif3^ing and his treating, when they spied me
about a rifle shot from the camp, sauntering along
as if I was not a party in the business. " There
comes Crockett," cried one. " Let us hear the
colonel," cried another, and so I mounted the
stump that had been cut down for the occasion,
and began to bushwhack in the most approved-
style.

I had not been up long before there was such an
uproar in the crowd that I could not hear my own
voice, and some of my constituents let me know^,
that they could not listen to me on such a dry sub-
ject as the welfare of the nation, until they had
something to drink, and that I must treat 'em.
Accordingly I jumped down from the rostrum,
and led the way to the shantee, followed by my
constituents, shouting, "Huzza for Crockett," and
^* Crockett for ever !"

When we entered the shantee. Job was busy
dealing out his rum in a style that show^ed he was
making a good day's work of it, and I called for a
quart of the best, but the crooked critur returned
no other answer than by pointing at a board over
the bar, on which he had chalked in large letters,
''Fay to-day and trust to-morrow,''^ Now that

2*

18 COLONEL Crockett's

idea brought me all up standing ; it was a sort of
cornering in which there was no back out, for
ready money in the west, in those times, was the
shyest thing in all natur, and it was most particu-
larly shy with me on that occasion.

The voters, seeing my predicament, fell oflf to
the other side, and I was left deserted and alone,
as the Government will be, when he no longer has
any offices to bestow. I saw, plain as day, that
the tide of popular opinion was against me, and
that, unless I got some rum speedily, I should Iosq
my election as sure as there are snakes in Virginny,
— and it must be done soon, or even burnt brandy
wouldn't save me. So I walked away from the
shantee, but in another guess sort from the way I
entered it, for on this occasion I had no train after
me, and not a voice shouted "Huzza for Crockett."
Popularity sometimes depends on a very small
matter indeed ; in this particular it was worth a
quart of New England rum, and no more.

Well, knowing that a crisis was at hand, I struck
into the woods with my rifle on my shoulder, my
best friend in time of need, and as good fortune
would have it, I had not been out more than a
quarter of an hour before I treed a fat coon, and in
the pulling of a trigger he lay dead at the root of
the tree. I soon whipped his hairy jacket oflf his

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. , 19

back, and again bent my way towards the shantee,
and walked up to the bar, but not alone, for this
time I had half a dozen of my constituents at my
heels. I threw down the coon skin upon the
counter, and called for a quart, and Job, though
busy in dealing out rum, forgot to point at his
chalked rules and regulations, for he knew that a
coon was as good a legal tender for a quart, in the
west, as a New York shilling, any day in the year.
My constituents now flocked about me, and cried
" Huzza for Crockett," " Crockett for ever," and
finding that the tide had taken a turn, I told them
several yarns, to get them in a good humour, and
having soon despatched the value of the coon, I
went out and mounted the stump, without opposi-
tion, and a clear majority of the voters followed me
to hear what I had to offer for the good of the na-
tion. Before I was half through, one of my con-
stituents moved that they would hear the balance
of my speech, after they had washed down the first
part with some more of Job Snelling's extract of
cornstalk and molasses, and the question being put,
it was carried unanimously. It wasn't considered
necessary to call the yeas and nays, so we adjourned
to the shantee, and on the way I began to reckon
that the fate of the nation pretty much depended
upon my shooting another coon.

20 COLONEL CROCKETT S

While standing at the bar, feeling sort of bashful
while Job's rules and regulations stared me in the
face, I cast down my eyes, and discovered one end
of the coon skin stickino; between the logs that
supported the bar. Job had slung it there in the
hurry of business. I gave it a sort of quick jerk,
and it followed my hand as natural as if I had been
the rightful owner. I slapped it on the counter,
and Job, little dreaming that he was barking up the
wrong tree, shoved along another bottle, which my
constituents quickly disposed of with great good
humour, for some of them saw the trick, and then
we withdrew to the rostrum to discuss the afifairs
of the nation.

I don't know how it was, but the voters soon
became dry again, and nothing would do, but we
must adjourn to the shantee, and as luck would
have it, the coon skin was still sticking between
the logs, as if Job had flung it there on purpose to
tempt me. I was not slow in raising it to the
counter, the rum followed of course, and I wish I
may be shot, if I didn't, before the day was over,
get ten quarts for the same identical skin, and from
a fellow too, who in those parts was considered as
sharp as a steel trap, and as bright as a pewter
button.

This joke secured me my election, for it soon

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 21

circulated like smoke among my constituents, and
they allowed, with one accord, that the man who
could get the whip hand of Job Snelling in fair
trade, could outwit Old Nick himself, and was the
real grit for them in Congress. Job was by no
means popular; he boasted of always being wide
awake, and that any one who could take him in
was free to do so, for he came from a stock that
sleeping or waking had always one eye open, and
the other not more than half closed. The whole
family were geniuses. His father was the inventor
of wooden nutmegs, by which Job said he might
have made a fortune, if he had only taken out a
patent and kept the business in his own hands; his
mother Patience manufactured the first v/hite oak
pumpkin seeds of the mammoth kind, and turned
a pretty penny the first season; and his aunt Pru-
dence was the first to discover that corn husks,
steeped in tobacco water, would make as handsome
Spanish wrappers as ever came from Havanna, and
that oak leaves would answer all the purposes of
Uing, for no one would discover the difference
except the man who smoked them, and then it
would be too late to make a stir about it. Job
himself bragged of having made some useful dis-
coveries; the most profitable of which was the art
of convQiling mahogany sawdust into cayenne

22 COLONEL Crockett's

pepper, which he said was a profitable and safe
business ; for the people have been so long ac-
customed to having dust thrown in their eyes,
that there wasn't much danger of being found out.

The way I got to the blind side of the Yankee
merchant was pretty generally known before the
election day, and the result was, that my opponent
might as well have whistled jigs to a milestone as
attempt to beat up for votes in that district. I
beat him out and out, quite back into the old year,
and there was scarce enough left of him, after the
canvass was over, to make a small grease spot. He
disappeared without even leaving as much as a
mark behind ; and such will be the fate of Adam
Huntsman, if there is a fair fight and no gouging.

After the election was over, I sent Snelling the
price of the rum, but took good care to keep the
fact from the knowledge of my constituents. Job
refused the money, and sent me word, that it did
him good to be taken in occasionally, as it served
to brighten his ideas; but I afterwards learnt that
when he found out the trick that had been played
upon him, he put all the rum I had ordered in his
bill against my opponent, who, being elated with
the speeches he had made on the affairs of the na-
tion, could not descend to examine into the particu-
lars of the bill of a vender of rum in the small way.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 23

CHAPTER II.

August 11,1835. I AM now at home in Weakley
county. My canvass is over, and the result is
known. Contrary to all expectation, I am beaten
two hundred and thirty votes, from the best infor-
mation I can get; and in this instance, I may say,
bad is the best. My mantle has fallen upon the
shoulders of Adam, and I hope he may wear it
with becoming dignity, and never lose sight of the
welfare of the nation, for the purpose of elevating
a few designing politicians to the head of the heap.
The rotten policy pursued by " the Government"
cannot last long; it will either work its own down-
fall, or the downfall of the republic, soon, unless
the people tear the seal from their eyes, and behold
their danger time enough to avert the ruin.

I wish to inform the people of these United
States what I had to contend against, trusting that
the expose I shall make will be a caution to the
people not to repose too much power in the hands
of a single man, though he should be " the greatest
and the best." — I had, as I have already said, Mr.

24 COLONEL Crockett's

Adam Huntsman for my competitor, aided by the
popularity of both Andrew Jackson and governor
Carroll and the whole strength of the Union Bank
at Jackson. I have been told by good men, that
some of the managers of the bank on the days of
the election were heard say, that they would give
twenty-five dollars a vote for votes enough to elect
Mr. Huntsman. This is a pretty good price for a
vote, and in ordinary times a round dozen might
be got for the money.

I have always believed, since Jackson removed
the deposites, that his whole object was to place
the treasury where he could use it to influence
elections; and I do believe he is determined to
sacrifice every dollar of the treasury to make the
Little Flying Dutchman his successor. If this is
not my creed I wish I may be shot. For fourteen
years since I have been a candidate I never saw
such means used to defeat any candidate, as were
put in practice against me on this occasion. There
was a disciplined band of judges and officers to
hold the elections at almost every poll. Of late
years they begin to find out that there's an advan-
tage in this, even in the west. Some officers held
the election, and at the same time had nearly all
they were worth bet on the election. Such judges
I should take it are like the handle of a jug, all on

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 25

I one side; and I am told it doesn't require much

I schooling to make the tally list correspond to a

I notch with the ballot box, provided they who make

up the returns have enough loose tickets in their

breeches pockets. I have no doubt that I was

completely rascalled out of my election, and I do

regret that duty to myself and to my country

compels me to expose such villany.

Well might Governor Poindexter exclaim —

" Ah ! my country, what degradation thou hast

fallen into !" Andrew Jackson was, during my

election canvass, franking the extra Globe with a

prospectus in it to every post office in this district,

and upon one occasion he had my mileage and pay

as a member drawn up and sent to this district, to

one of his minions, to have it published just a few

days before the election. This is what I call small

potatoes and few of a hill. He stnted that I had

charged mileage for one thousand miles and that

it was but seven hundred and fifty miles, and held

out ihe idea that I had taken pay for the same

mileage that Mr. Fitzgerald had taken, when it

w^as well known that he charged thirteen hundred

miles from here to Washington, and he and myself

both live in the same county. It is somewhat

remarkable how this fact should have escaped the

keen eye of " the Goverament."

3

26 COLONEL CROCKETT^S

The General's pet, Mr. Grundy, charged for one
thousand miles from Nashville to Washington, and
it was sanctioned by the legislature, I suppose be-
cause he would huzza! for Jackson; and because I
think proper to refrain from huzzaing until he goes
out of office, when I shall give a screamer, that will
be heard from the Mississippi to the Atlantic, or
my name's not Crockett — for this reason he came
out openly to electioneer against me. I now say,
that the oldest man living never heard of the Pre-
sident of a great nation to come down to open elec-
tioneering for his successor. It is treating the
nation as if it was the property of a single indivi-
dual, and he had the right to bequeath it to whom
he pleased — the same as a patch of land for which
he had the patent. It is plain to be seen that the
poor superannuated old man is surrounded by a set
of horse leeches, who will stick to him while there
is a drop of blood to be got, and their maws are so
capacious that they will never get full enough to
drop off. The Land office, the Post office, and the
Treasury itself, may all be drained, and we shall
still find them craving for more. They use him to
promote their own private interest, and for all his
sharp sight, he remains as blind as a dead lion to
the jackals who are tearing him to pieces. In fact,
I do believe he is a perfect tool in their hands,

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 27

ready to be used to answer any purpose to promote
either their interest or gratify their ambition.

I come within two hundred and thirty votes of
being elected, notwithstanding I had to contend
against "the greatest and the best," with the whole
power of the Treasury against me. The Little
Flying Dutchman will no doubt calculate upon
having a true game cock in Mr. Huntsman, but if
he doesn't show them the White feather before the
.first session is over, I agree never to be set down
for a prophet, that's all. I am gratified that I
have spoken the truth to the people of my district
regardless of consequences. I would not be
compelled to bow down to the idol for a seat in
Congress during life. I have never known what
it was to sacrifice my own judgment to gratify
any party, and I have no doubt of the time being
close at hand when I will be rewarded for letting
my tongue speak what my heart thinks. I have
sufiered myself to be politically sacrificed to save
my country from ruin and disgrace, and if I am
never again elected, I will have the gratification to
know that I have done my duty. — Thus much I
say in relation to the manner in which my down-
fall was efiected, and in laying it before the public,
" I take the responsibility." I may add in the
words of the man in the play, " Crockett's occupa-
tion's gone."

28 , COLONEL "CROCKETT S

Two weeks and more have elapsed since I wrote
the foregoing account of my defeat, and I confess
the thorn still rankles, not so much on my own
account as the nation's, for I had set my heart on
following up the travelling deposites until they
should be fairly gathered to their proper nest,
like young chickens, for I am aware of the vermin
that are on the constant look-out to pounce upon
them, like a cock at a blackberry, which they would
have done long since, if it had not been for a few
such men as Webster, Clay, and myself. It is my
parting advice, that this matter be attended to with-
out delay, for before long the little chickens, will
take wing, and even the powerful wand of the
magician of Kinderhook will be unable to point
out the course they have flown.

As my country no longer requires my services,
I have made up my mind to go to Texas. My
life has been one of danger, toil, and privation, but
these difficulties I had to encounter at a time when
I considered it nothing more than right good sport
to surmount them ; but now I start anew upon ray
own hook, and God only grant that it may be
strong enough to support the weight that may be
hung upon it. I have a new row to hoe, a long
and a rough one, but come what will I'll go ahead.

A few days ago I went to a meeting of my con-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 29

stituents. My appetite for politics was at one time
just about as sharp set as a saw mill, but late events
has given me something of a surfeit, — more than I
could well digest ; still habit they say is second
natur, and so I went, and gave them a piece of my
mind touching " the Government" and the succes-
sion, by way of a codicil to what I have often said
before.

I told them to keep a sharp look-out for the de-
posites, for it requires an eye as insinuating as a
dissecting knife to see what safety there is in
placing one million of the public funds in some
little country shaving shop with no more than one
hundred thousand dollars capital. This bank, we
will just suppose, without being too particular, is
in the neighbourhood of some of the public lands,
where speculators, who have every thing to gain
and nothing to lose, swarm like crows about car-
rion. They buy the United States' land upon a
large scale, get discounts from the aforesaid shaving
shop, which are made upon a large scale also, upon
the United States' funds ; they pay the whole pur-
chase money with these discounts, and get a clear
title to the land, so that when the shaving shop
comes to make a Flemish account of her transac-
tions, " the Government" will discover that he has

not only lost the original deposite, but a large body

3*

30 COLONEL Crockett's

of the public lands to boot. So much for taking
the responsibility.

I told them that they were hurrying along a
broad M^Adamized road to make the Little Flying
Dutchman the successor, but they would no sooner
accomplish that end, than they would be obliged to
buckle to, and drag the Juggernaut through many
narrow and winding and out-of-the-way paths, and
hub deep in the mire. That they reminded me
of the Hibernian, who bet a glass of grog with a
hod carrier, that he could not carry him in his hod
up a ladder to the third story of a new building.
He seated himself in the hod, and the other mount-
ed the ladder with his load upon his shoulder.
He ascended to the second story pretty steadily,
but as he approached the third his strength failed
him, he began to totter, and Pat was so delighted
at the prospect of winning his bet, that he clapped
his hands and shouted, " By the powers the grog's
mine," and he made such a stir in the hod, that I
wish I may be shot if he didn't win it, but he
broke his neck in the fall. And so I told my con-
stituents that they might possibly gain the victory,
but in doing so, they would ruin their country.

I told them moreover of my services, pretty
straight up and down, for a man may be allowed
to speak on such subjects when others are about to

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 31

forget them ; and I also told them of the manner
in which I had been knocked down and dragged
out, and that I did not consider it a fair fight any
how they could fix it. I put the ingredients in
the cup pretty strong I tell you, and I concluded
my speech by telling them that 1 was done with
politics for the present, and that they might all go
to hell, and I would go to Texas.

When I returned home I felt a sort of cast
down at the change that had taken place in my
fortunes, and sorrow, it is said, will make even an
oyster feel poetical. I never tried my hand at that
sort of writing, but on this particular occasion such
was my state of feeling, that I began to fancy my-
self inspired ; so I took pen in hand, and as usual I
went ahead. When I had got fairly through, my
poetry looked as zigzag as a worm fence ; the lines
wouldn't tally, no how ; so I showed them to Peleg
Longfellow, who has a first-rate reputation with us
for that sort of writing, having some years ago
made a carrier's address for the Nashville Banner,
and Peleg lopped off some lines, and stretched out
others ; but I wish I may be shot if I don't rather

•

think he has made it worse than it was when I
placed it in his hands. It being my first, and no
doubt last piece of poetry, I will print it in this
place, as it will serve to express my feelings on

32 COLONEL Crockett's

leaving my home, my neighbours, and friends and ^|
country, for a strange land, as fully as I could in
plain prose.

Farewell to the mountains whose mazes to me

Were more beautiful far than Eden could be ;

No fruit was forbidden, but Nature had spread

Her bountiful board, and her children were fed. .

The hills were our garners — our herds wildly grew,

And Nature was shepherd and husbandman too.

I felt like a monarch, yet thought like a man,

As I thank'd the Great Giver, and worshipp'd his plan.

The home I forsake where my offspring arose :

The graves I forsake where my children repose.

The home I redeem'd from the savage and wild ;

The home I have loved as a father his child ; ^

The corn that I planted, the fields that I clear'd,

The flocks that I raised, and the cabin I rear'd ;

The wife of my bosom — Farewell to ye all !

In the land of the stranger I rise — or I fall.

Farewell to my country ! — I fought for thee well,

When the savage rush'd forth like the demons from hell.

In peace or in war I have stood by thy side — ■

My country, for thee I have lived — would have died !

But I am cast ofl^ — my career now is run.

And I wander abroad like the prodigal son —

Where the wild savage roves, and the broad prairies

spread.
The fallen — despised — will again go ahead !

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 33

CHAPTER HI.

In my last chapter I made mention of my deter-
mination to cut and quit the States until such time
as honest and independent men should again work
their way to the head of the heap ; and as I should
probably have some idle time on hand before that
state of affairs shall be brought about, I promised
to give the Texians a helping hand, on the high
road to freedom. — Well, I was always fond of hav-
ing my spoon in a mess of that kind, for if there is
any thing in this w^orld particularly worth living
for, it is freedom ; any thing that would render
death to a brave man particularly pleasant, it is
freedom.

I am now on my journey, and have already
tortled along as far as Little Rock on the Arkansas,
about one hundred and twenty-five miles from the
mouth. I had promised to write another book,
expecting, when I made that promise, to write about
politics, and use up " the Government,'^ his suc-
cessor, the removal of the deposites, and so on,
matters and things that come as natural to me as

34 COLONEL Crockett's

bear hunting ; but being rascalled out of my elec-
tion, I am taken all aback, and I must now strike
into a new path altogether. Still I will redeem my
promise, and make a book, and it shall be about
my adventures in Texas, hoping that my friends,
Messrs. Webster and Clay and Biddle, will keep a
sharp look-out upon ^'' the Government'^ during
my absence. — I am told that every author of
distinction writes a book of travels now-a-days.

My thermometer stood somewhat below the
freezing point as I left my wife and children ; still
there was some thawing about the eyelids, a thing
that had not taken place since I first ran away from
my father's house when a thoughtless vagabond
boy. I dressed myself in a clean hunting shirt,
put on a new fox skin cap with the tail hanging
behind, took hold of my rifle Betsey, which all the
world knows was presented to me by the patriotic
citizens of Philadelphia, as a compliment for my
unflinching opposition to the tyrannic measures of
" the Government," and thus equipped I started off,
with a heavy heart, for Mill's Point, to take steam-
boat down the Mississippi, and go ahead in a new
world.

While w^alking along, and thinking whether it
was altogether the right grit to leave my poor
country at a time she most needed my services, 1

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 35

came to a clearing, and I was slowly rising a slope,
when I was startled by loud, profane, and boiste-
rous voices, (as loud and profane as have been heard
in the White House of late years,) which seemed
to proceed from a thick covert of undergrowth,
about two hundred yards in advance of me, and
about one hundred to the right of my road.

" You kin, kin you ?"

" Yes, I kin, and am able to do it ! Boo-oo-oo! —
0! wake snakes, and walk your chalks! Brim-
stone and -fire! Don't hold me, Nick Stoval!

The fight's made up, and let's go at it. my

soul if I don't jump down his throat and gallop
every chitterling out of him, before you can say
'quit!'"

" Now, Nick, don't hold him ! Jist let the wild
cat come, and I'll tame him. Ned '11 see me a
fair fight — won't you, Ned ?"

'" 0 ! yes, I'll see you a fair fight; blast my old
shoes if I don't."

" That's sufficient, as Tom Haynes said, when
he saw the elephant. Now let him come."

Thus they went on, with countless oaths inter-
spersed, which I dare not even hint at, and with
much that I could not distinctly hear.

In mercy's name ! thought I, what a band of
ruffians is at work here. I quickened my gait, and

36 COLONEL CROCKETT S

had come nearly opposite to the thick grove
whence the noise proceeded, when my eye caught
indistinctly, through the foliage of the dwarf oaks
and hickories that intervened, glimpses of a man
or men, who seemed to be in a violent struggle ;
and I could occasionally catch those deep drawn
emphatic oaths, which men in conflict utter, when
they deal blows. I hurried to the spot, but before
I reached it, I saw the combatants come to the
ground, and after a short struggle, I saw the upper-
most one (for I could not see the other) make
a heavy plunge with both his thumbs, and at the
same instant I heard a cry in the accent of keenest
torture, "Enough ! my eye is out V

I stood completely horror-struck for a moment.
The accomplices in the brutal deed had all fled at
my approach, at least I supposed so, for they were
not to be seen.

*' Now blast your corn-shucking soul," said the
victor, a lad about eighteen, as he rose from the
ground, " come cutt'n your shines ^bout me agin,
next time I come to the Court House, will you! —
Get your owl-eye in agin if you can."

At this moment he saw me for the first time.
He looked as though he couldn't help it, and was
for making himself particularly scarce, when I
called to him, " Come back, you brute, and assist me

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 37

in relieving the poor oritur you have ruined for
ever.'^

Upon this rough salutation, he sort of collected
himself, and with a taunting curl of the nose he
replied, " You needn't kick before you're spurr'd.
There an't nobody there, nor han't been nother.
I was jist seein' how I could a' fout." So saying
he bounded to his plough, which stood in the cor-
ner of the fence about fifty yards from the battle
ground.

Now would any man in his senses believe that
'a rational being could make such a darned fool of
himself? but I wish I may be shot, if his report
was not as true as the last Post office report, every
word, and a little more satisfactory. All that I
; had heard and seen was nothing more nor less than
what is called a rehearsal of a knock-down and
drag-out fight, in which the young man had
played all the parts for his own amusement, and
by way of keeping his hand in. I went to the
ground from which he had risen, and there was the
prints of his two thumbs, plunged up to the balls
in the mellow earth, about the distance of a man's
eyes apart, and the ground around was broken up,
as if two stags had been engaged upon it.

As I resumed my journey I laughed outright at

this adventure, for it reminded me of Andrew

4

38 COLONEL Crockett's

Jackson's attack upon the United States Bank.
He had magnified it into a monster, and then be-
gun to rip and tear and swear and gouge, until he
thought he had the monster on its back; and when
the fight was over, and he got up to look about for
his enemy, he could find none for the soul of him,
for his enemy was altogether in his heated imagi-
nation. These fighting characters are never at
peace, unless they have something to quarrel with,
and rather than have no fight at all they will
trample on their own shadows.

The day I arrived at Little Rock, I no sooner
quit the steamer than I streaked it straight ahead
for the principal tavern, which is nothing to boast
of, nohow, unless a man happens to be like the
member of Congress from the south, who was con-
verted to Jacksonism, and then made a speech as
long as the longitude about his political honesty.
Some, men it seems, take a pride in saying a great
deal about nothing — like windmills, their tongues
must be going whether they have any grist to grind
or not. This is all very well in Congress, where
every member is expected to make a speech to let
his constituents know that some things can be done
as well as others ; but I set it down as being rather
an imposition upon good nature to be compelled to
listen, without receivins: the consideration of ei.sht

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 39

dollars per day, besides mileage, as we do in Con-
gress. Many members will do nothing else for
their pay but listen, day in and day out, and I wish
I may be shot, if they do not earn every penny of
it, provided they don't sleep, and Benton or little
Isaac Hill will spin their yarns but once in a week.
No man who has not tried it can imagine what
dreadful hard work it is to listen. Splitting gum
logs in the dog days is child's play to it. I've
tried both, and give the preference to the gum
logs.

Well, as I said, I made straight for the tavern,
and as I drew nigh, I saw a considerable crowd
assembled before the door. So, thought I, they
have heard that Colonel Crockett intended to pay
a visit to their settlement, and they have already
got together to receive him in due form. I confess
I felt a little elated at the idea, and commenced ran-
sacking the lumber room of my brain, to find some
one of my speeches that I might furbish up for the
occasion; and then I shouldered my Betsey, straight-
ened myself, and walked up to the door, charged
to the muzzle, and ready to let fly.

But strange as it may seem, no one took any
more notice of me, than if I had been Martin Van
Buren,orDick Johnson, the celebrated wool grower.
This took me somewhat aback, and I inquired what

40 COLONEL Crockett's

was the meaning of the gathering; and I learnt that
a travelling showman had just arrived, and was
about to exhibit for the first time the wonderful
feats of Harlequin, and Punch and Judy, to the
impatient natives. It was drawing towards night-
fall, and expectation was on tiptoe ; the children
were clinging to their mother's aprons, with their
chubby faces dimpled with delight, and asking
'^ What is it like ? when will it begin ?" and similar
questions, while the women, as all good wives are
in duty bound to do, appealed to their husbands
for information; but the call for information was
not responded to in this instance, as is sometimes
the case in Congress ; — their husbands understood
the matter about as well as " the Government" did
the Post office accounts.

The showman at length made his appearance,
with a countenance as wo-begone as that of " the
Government" when he found his batch of dirty
nominations rejected by the Senate, and mentioned
the impossibility that any performance should take
place that evening, as the lame fiddler had over-
charged his head, and having but one leg at best, it
did not require much to destroy his equilibrium.
And as all the world knows, a puppet show with-
out a fiddle is like roast pork and no apple sauce.
This piece of intelligence was received with a gene-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 41

ral murmur of dissatisfaction; and such was the indi^
nation of his majesty, the sovereign people, at being
thwarted in his rational amusements, that, accord-
ing to the established custom in such cases made
and provided, there were some symptoms of a dis-
position to kick up a row, break the show, and
finish the amusements of the day by putting Lynch's
law in practice upon the poor showman. There is
nothing like upholding the dignity of the people,
and so Lieut. Randolph thought, when with his
cowardly and sacrilegious hand he dared to profane
the anointed nose of " the Government," and
bring the whole nation into contempt. If I had
been present, may disgrace follow my career in
Texas, if I wouldn't have become a whole hog
Jackson man upon the spot, for the time being, for
the nose of " the Government" should be held
^ more sacred than any other member, that it may
be kept in good order to smell out all the corrup-
tion that is going forward — not a very pleasant
office, and by no means a sinecure. ~

The indignant people, as I have already said,
were about to exercise their reserved rights upon
the unlucky showman, and Punch and Judy too,
when, as good fortune would have it, an old gen-
tleman drove up to the tavern door in a sulky,

with a box of books and pamphlets of his

4*

42 COLONEL Crockett's

composition — (for he was an author like myself)-—
thus being able to vouch for the moral tendency of
every page he disposed of. Very few booksellers
can do the same, I take it. His linen and flannels,
which he had washed in the brooks by the way-
side, were hanging over the back of the crazy
vehicle to dry, while his own snuffy countenance
had long bid defiance to sun, wind, and water to
bleach it.

His jaded beast stopped instinctively upon seeing
a crowd, while the old man remained seated for
some moments before he could recall his thoughts
from the world of imagination, where they w^ere
gleaning for the benefit of mankind. He looked,
it must be confessed, more like a lunatic than a
moral lecturer; but being conscious of his own rec-
titude, he could not conceive how his outward
Adam could make him ridiculous in the eyes
of another ; but a fair outside is every thing to the
world. The tulip flower is highly prized, although
indebted for its beauty to the corruption engendered
at the root : and so it is with man.

We occasionally meet with one possessing suffi-
cient philosophy to look upon life as a pilgrimage,
and not as a mere round of pleasure : who, treating
this world as a place of probation, is ready to en-
counter sufiering, and not expecting the sunshine

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 4S

of prosperity, escapes being overclouded by dis-
appointment. Such is the character of the old
preacher, whose ridiculous appearance in the eyes
of the thoughtless and ignorant is only exceeded
by the respect and veneration of those who are
capable of estimating his real worth. I learnt that
he Ws^s educated for the church, but not being able
to obtain a living, he looked upon the whole earth
as his altar, and all mankind as his flock. He was
penniless, and therefore had no predilection for
this or that section of the globe, for wherever he
might be, his journey of probation still continued,
and in every spot he found that human nature was
the same. His life was literally that of apilgrim. He
was an isolated being, though his heart overflowed
with the milk of human kindness ; for being indis-
criminate in his aflection, very few valued it. He
who commences the world with a general love for
mankind, and suffers his feelings to dictate to his
reason, runs a great hazard of reaping a plentiful
harvest of ingi'atitude, and of closing a tedious ex-
istence in misanthropy. But it was not so with
the aged preacher.

Being unable to earn his bread as an itinerant
lecturer, — for in those cases it is mostly poor preach
and worse pay — he turned author, and wrote histo-
ries which contained but little information, and

44 COLONEL Crockett's

sermons which, like many others, had nothing to
boast of, beyond being strictly orthodox. He suc-
ceeded in obtaining a sulky, and a horse to drag it,
by a plea of mercy, which deprived the hounds of
their food, and with these he travelled over the
western states, to dispose of the product of his
brain ; and when poverty was deprived of the
benefit of his labour, in the benevolence of his
heart he would deliver a moral lecture, which had
the usual weight of homilies on this subject. A
lecture is the cheapest thing that a man can bestow
in charity, and many of our universal philanthro-
pists have made the discovery.

The landlord now made his appearance, and gave
a hearty welcome to the reverend traveller, and
shaking him by the hand, added, that he never
came more opportunely in all his life.

*^ Opportunely !" exclaimed the philosopher.

" Yes," rejoined the other ; " you have a heart
and head that labour for the benefit of us poor
mortals.''

" 0 ! true, an excellent market for my pam-
phlets," replied the other, at the same time begin-
ning to open the trunk that lay before him.

" You misunderstand me," added the landlord.
"A poor showman, with a sick wife and five
children, has arrived from New Orleans—

73

J

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 45

"I will sell my pamphlets to relieve their wants,
and endeavour to teach them resignation."

" He exhibits to-night in my large room : you
know the room, sir — I let him have it gratis."

'' You are an honest fellow. I will witness his
show, and add my mite to his assistance."

" But," replied the innkeeper, " the lame fiddler
is fond of the bottle, and is now snoring in the
hayloft."

" Degrading vice !" exclaimed the old man, and
taking " God's Revenge against Drunkenness"
from the trunk, and standing erect in the sulky,
commenced reading to his astonished audience.
The innkeeper interrupted him by observing that
the homily would not fill the empty purse of the
poor showman, and unless a fiddler could be ob-
tained, he must depend on charity, or go supperless
to bed. And moreover, the people, irritated at
their disappointment, had threatened to tear the
show to pieces.

" But what's to be done ?" demanded the parson.

" Your reverence shakes an excellent bow,"
added the innkeeper, in an insinuating tone.

" I ! " exclaimed the parson ; " I fiddle for a
puppet show !"

" Not for the puppet show, but for the sick wife
and five hungry children."

46 COLONEL Crockett's

A tear started into the eyes of the old man, as
he added in an undertone, " If I could be concealed
from the audience ~"

" Nothing easier," cried the other ; " we will
place you behind the scenes, and no one will ever
dream that you fiddled at a puppet show."

The matter being thus settled, they entered the
house, and shortly afterward the sound of a fiddle
squeaking like a giggling girl, tickled into ecstacies,
restored mirth and good humour to the disappoint-
ed assemblage, who rushed in, helter-skelter, to
enjoy the exhibition.

All being seated, and silence restored, they
waited in breathless expectation for the rising of
^he curtain. At length Harlequin made his ap-
pearance, and performed astonishing feats of activity
on the slack rope ; turning somersets backward
and forward, first on this side, and then on that,
wdth as much ease as if he had been a politician all
his life, — the parson sawing vigorously on his
fiddle all the time. Punch followed, and set the
audience in a roar with his antic tricks and jests ;
but when Judy entered with her broomstick, the
burst of applause was as great as ever I heard be-
stowed upon one of Benton's slang-whang speeches
in Congress, .and I rather think quite as w^U
merited.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 47

As the plot thickened, the music of the parson
became more animated ; but unluckily in the warmth
of his zeal to do justice to his station, his elbow
touched the side scene, which fell to the floor, and
exposed him, working away in all the ecstacies of
little Isaac Hill, while reading one of his long ora-
tions about things in general to empty benches.
No ways disconcerted by the accident, the parson
seized upon it as a fine opportunity of conveying
a lesson to those around him, at the same time that
he might benefit a fellow mortal. He immediately
mounted the chair upon which he was seated, and
addressed the audience to the following effect : —

^' Many of you have come here for amusement,
and others no doubt to assist the poor man, who is
thus struggling to obtain a subsistence for his sick
wife and children. — Lo ! the moral of a puppet
show ! — But is this all ; has he not rendered unto
you your money's worth ? This is not charity.
If you are charitably inclined, here is an object
fully deserving of it." He preached upon this text
for full half an hour, and concluded with taking
his hat to collect assistance from his hearers for
the friendless showman and his family.

The next morning, when his sulky was brought
to the door, the showman and his wife came out

48 COLONEL CROCEETT^S

to thank their benefactor. The old man placed
his trunk of pamphlets before him; and proceed-
ed on his pilgrimage, the little children follow-
ing him through the village with bursts of grati-
tude.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 49

CHAPTER IV.

The public mind having been quieted by the
exhibition of the puppet show, and allowed to re-
turn to its usual channel, it was not long before the
good people- of Little Rock began to inquire what
distinguished stranger had come among them ; and
learning that it was neither more nor less than the
I identical Colonel Crockett, the champion of the
fugitive deposites, than straight they went ahead
at getting up another tempest in a teapot j and I
wish I may be shot, if I wasn't looked upon as
almost as great a sight as Punch and Judy.

Nothing would answer but I must accept of an
invitation to a public dinner. Now as public din-
ners have become so common, that it is enough to
take away the appetite of any man, who has a pro-
per sense of his own importance, to sit down and
play his part in the humbug business, I had made
up my mind to write a letter declining the honour,
expressing my regret, and winding up with a
flourish of trumpets about the patriotism of the
citizens of Little Rock, and all that sort of thing,

50 COLONEL Crockett's

when the landlord came in, and says he, " Colonel,
just oblige me by stepping into the back yard a
moment.'^

I followed the landlord in silence, twisting and
turning over in my brain, all the while, what I
should say in my letter to the patriotic citizens of
Little Rock, who were bent on eating a dinner for
the good of their country ; when he conducted me
to a shed in the yard, where I beheld, hanghig up,
a fine fat cub bear, several haunches of venison, a
wild turkey as big as a young ostrich, and small
game too tedious to mention. " Well, Colonel,
what do you think of my larder?" says he. "Fine!"
says I ; "let us liquor." We walked back to the
bar, I took a horn, and without loss of time I wrote
to the committee, that I accepted of the invitation
to a public dinner with pleasure, — that I would
ahvays be found ready to serve my country either
by eating or fasting ; and that the honour the pa-
triotic citizens of Little Rock had conferred upon
me rendered it the proudest moment of my event-
ful life. The chairman of the committee was
standing by while I wrote the letter, which 1
handed to him ; and so this important business
was soon settled.

As there was considerable time to be killed, or
got rid of in some way, bafore the dinner could

AD^'E^TURES IN TEXAS. 51

be cooked, it was proposed that we should go be-
yond the village, and shoot at a mark, for they had
heard that I was a first-rate shot, and they wanted
to see for themselves whether fame had not blown
her trumpet a little too strong in my favour ; for
since she had represented " the Government" as
being a first-rate statesman, and Colonel Benton as
a first-rate orator, they could not receive such re-
ports without proper allowance, as Congress thought
of the Post office report.

Well, I shouldered my Betsey, and she is just
about as beautiful a piece as ever came out of Phila-
delphia, and I went out to the shooting ground,
followed by all the leading men in Little Rock,
and that was a clear majority of the town, for it is
remarkable that there are always more leading
men in small villages than there are followers.

I was in prime order. My eye was as keen as
a lizard, and my nerves were as steady and un-
shaken as the political course of Henry Clay; so at
it we went, the distance one hundred yards. The
principal marksmen, and such as had never been^
beat, led the way, and there w^as some pretty fair
shooting, I tell you. At length it came to my turn.
I squared myself, raised my beautiful Betsey to my
shoulder, took deliberate aim, and smack I sent the
bullet right into the centre of the bull's eye.

52 COLONEL Crockett's

" There's no mistake in Betsey/^ said I, in a sor
of careless way, as they were all looking at the
target, sort of amazed, and not at all over pleased.
--"That's a chance shot. Colonel,'^ said one who
had the reputation of being the best marksman in
those parts.

"Not as much chance as there was,'^ said I,
" when Dick Johnson took his darkie for better
for worse. I can do it five times out of six any
day in the week." This I said in as confident a
tone as " the Government" did when he protested
that he forgave Colonel Benton for shooting him,
and he was now the best friend he had in the
world. I knew it was not altogether as correct as
it might be, but when a man sets about going the
big figure, halfway measures won't answer no how;
and " the greatest and the best" had set me the
example, that swaggering will answer a good pur-
pose at times.

They now proposed that we should have a second
trial ; but knowing that I had nothing to gain, and
every thing to lose, I was for backing out and
fighting shy; but there was no let-off, for the cock
of the village, though whipped, determined not to
stay whipped ; so to it again we went. They were
now put upon their mettle, and they fired much
better than the first time ; and it was what might

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 53

be called pretty sharp shooting. When it came to
my turn, I squared myself, and turning to the
prime shot, I gave him a knowing nod, by v^^ay of
showing my confidence ; and says I, " Look-out for
the bull's eye, stranger." I blazed away, and I
wish I may be shot if I didn't miss the target.
They examined it all over, and could fmd neither
hair nor hide of my bullet, and pronounced it a
dead miss ; when says I, " Stand aside and let me
look, and I war'nt you I get on the right trail of
the critter." They stood aside, and I examined
the bull's eye pretty particular, and at length cried
out, " Here it is ; there is no snakes if it ha'n't
followed the very track of the other." They said
it was utterly impossible, but I insisted on their
searching the hole, and I agreed to be stuck up as
a mark myself, if they did not find two bullets
there. They searched for my satisfaction, and sure
enough it all came out just as I had told them ; for
I had picked up a bullet that had been fired, and
stuck it deep into the hole, without any one per-
ceiving it. They were all perfectly satisfied, that
fame had not made too great a flourish of trumpets
when speaking of me as a marksman ; and they all
said they had enough of shooting for that day, and
they moved, that we adjourn to the tavern and

liquor.

5*

54 COLONEL Crockett's

We had scarcely taken drinks round before the
landlord announced that dinner was ready, and I
was escorted into the dining room by the com-
mitteoj to the tune of " See the conquering hero
comes/' played upon a drum, which had been
beaten until it got a fit of the sullens, and refused to
send forth any sound ; and it was accompanied by
the weasing of a fife that was sadly troubled with
a spell of the asthma. I was escorted into the
dining room, I say, somewhat after the same fashion
that "the Government" was escorted into the dif-
ferent cities when he made his northern tour ; the
only difference was, that I had no sycophants about
me, but true hearted hospitable friends, for it was
pretty well known that I had, for the present, aban-
doned all intention of running for the Presidency
against the Little Flying Dutchman.

The dinner was first-rate. The bear meat, the
venison, and wild turkey would have tempted a
man who had given over the business of eating
altogether ; and every thing was cooked to the
notch precisely. The enterprising landlord did
himself immortal honour on this momentous occa-
sion ; and the committee, thinking that he merited
public thanks for his patriotic services, handed his
name to posterity to look at in the lasting columns
of the Little Rock Gazette ; and when our child-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 55

ren's children behold it, they will think of the
pure patriots who sat down in good fellowship to
feast on the bear meat and venison ; and the enthu-
siasm the occasion is calculated to awaken will
induce them to bless the patriot who, in a cause so
glorious, spared no pains in cooking the dinner,
and serving it in a becoming manner. — And this
is fame !

The fragments of the meats being cleared off,
we went through the customary evolution of drink-
ing thirteen regular toasts, after every one of which
our drum with the loose skin grumbled like an old
horse with an empty stomach ; and our asthmatic
fife squeaked like a stuck pig, a spirit-stirring tune,
which we put off christening until we should come
to prepare our proceedings for posterity. The fife
appeared to have but one tune in it ; possibly it
mought have had more, but the poor fifer, with all
his puffiing and blowing, his too-too-tooing, and
shaking his head and elbow, could not, for the body
and soul of him, get more than one out of it. If
the fife had had an extra tune to its name, sartin it
wouldn't have been quite so hide bound on such
an occasion, but have let us have it, good, bad^ or
indifferent. We warn't particular by no means.

Having gone through with the regular toasts,
the president of the day drank, " Our distinguished

56 COLONEL Crockett's

guest, Col. Crockett/' which called forth a prodi-
gious clattering all around the table, and I soon
saw that nothing would do, but I must get up and
make them a speech. I had no sooner elongated
my outward Adam, than they at it again, with re-
newed vigour, which made me sort of feel that I
was still somebody, though no longer a member
of Congress.

In my speech I went over the whole history of
the present administration ; took a long shot at the
flying deposites, and gave an outline, a sort of
charcoal sketch, of the political life of "the Govern-
ment's" heir presumptive. I also let them know
how I had been rascalled out of my election, be-
cause I refused to bow down to the idol ; and as I
saw a number of young politicians around the table,
I told them, that I would lay down a few rules for
their guidance, which, if properly attended to, could
not fail to lead them on the highway to distinction
and public honour. I told them, that I was an old
hand at the business, and as I was about to retire
for a time, I would give them a little instruction
gratis, for I was up to all the tricks of the trade,
though I had practised but few.

"Attend all public meetings," says I, "and get
some friend to move that you take the chair ; if
you fail in this attempt, make a push to be appoint-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 57

cd secretary ; the proceedings of course will be
published, and your name is introduced to the
public. But should you fail in both undertakings,
get two or three acquaintances, over a bottle of
whisky, to pass some resolutions, no matter on
what subject ; publish them even if you pay the
printer — it will answer the purpose of breaking
I the ice, which is the main point in these matters.
I Intrigue until you are elected an officer of the
^ militia; this is the second step toward promotion,
and can be accomplished with ease, as I know an
instance of an election being advertised, and no one
attending, the innkeeper at whose house it was to
be held, having a military turn, elected himself
colonel of his regiment." Says I, "You may not
accomplish your ends with as little difficulty, but
do not be discouraged — Rome wasn't built in a
day.

" If your ambition or circumstances compel you
to serve your country, and earn three dollars a day,
by becoming a member of the legislature, you must
first publicly avow that the constitution of the
state is a shackle upon free and liberal legislation ;
and is, therefore, of as little use in the present en-
lightened age, as an old almanac of the year in
which the instrument was framed. There is policy
in this measure, for by making the constitution a

58 COLONEL Crockett's

mere dead letter, your headlong proceedings will
be attributed to a bold and unshackled mind ;
whereas, it might otherwise be thought they arose
from sheer mulish ignorance. ' The Government'
has set the example in his attack upon the consti-
tution of the United States, and who should fear to
follow where ' the Government' leads ?

"When the day of election approaches, visit your
constituents far and wide. Treat liberally, and
drink freely, in order to rise in their estimation,
though you fall in your own. True, you may be
called a drunken dog by some of the clean shirt and
silk stocking gentry, but the real rough necks will
style you a jovial fellow, — their votes are certain,
and frequently count double. Do all you can to
appear to advantage in the e3^es of the women.
That's easily done — you have but to kiss and slab-
ber their children, wipe their noses, and pat them
on the head; this cannot fail to please their mothers,
and you may rely on your business being done in
that quarter.

"Promise all that is asked," said I, "and more if
you can think of any thing. Offer to build a bridge
or a church, to divide a country, create a batch of
new offices, make a turnpike, or any thing they
like. Promises cost nothing, therefore deny nobody
who has a vote or sufficient influence to obtain one.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 5!)

" Get up on all occasions, and sometimes on no
occasion at all, and make long-winded speeches,
though composed of nothing else than wind — talk
of your devotion to your country, your modesty
and disinterestedness, or on any such fanciful sub-
ject. Rail against taxes of all kinds, office holders.,
and bad harvest weather ; and wind up with a
flourish about the heroes who fought and bled for
our liberties in the times that tried men's souls.
To be sure you run the risk of being considered a
bladder of wind, or an empty barrel ; but never
mind that, you will find enough of the same
fraternity to keep you in countenance.

" If any charity be going forward, be at the top
of it, provided it is to be advertised publicly ; if
not, it isn't worth your while. None but a fool
would place his candle under a bushel on such an
occasion.

" These few directions," said I, " if properly
attended to, will do your business ; and when once
elected, why a fig for the dirty children, the pro-
mises, the bridges, the churches, the taxes, the
offices, and the subscriptions, for it is absolutely
necessary to forget all these before you can become
a thorough-going politician, and a patriot of the
first water."

My speech was received with three times three,

60 COLONEL Crockett's

and all that; and we continued speechifying and
drinking until nightfall, when it was put to vote,
that we would have the puppet show over again,
which was carried nem. con. The showman set his
wires to work, just as "the Government" does the
machinery in his big puppet show ; and we spent
a delightful and rational evening. We raised a
subscription for the poor showman; and I went to
bed, pleased and gratified with the hospitality and
kindness of the citizens of Little Rock. There
are some first-rate men there, of the real half horse
half alligator breed, with a sprinkling of the steam-
boat, and such as grow nowhere on the face of the
universal earth, but just about the back bone of
North America.

i

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. Gl

CHAPTER V.

The (lay after our public dinner I determined to
leave my hospitable friends at Little Rock, and
cross Arkansas to Fulton on the Red River, a
distance of about one hundred and twenty miles.
They wanted me to stay longer ; and the gentleman
who had the reputation of being the best marksman
in those parts was most particularly anxious that
we should have another trial of skill ; but says I to
myself, " Crockett, you've had just about glory
enough for one day, so take my advice, and leave
well enough alone." I declined shooting, for there
was nothing at all to be gained by it, and I might
possibly lose some little of the reputation I had
acquired. I have always found that it is a very im-
portant thing for a man who is fairly going ahead,
to know exactly how far to go, and when to stop.
Had "the Government" stopped before he meddled
with the constitution, the deposites, and " taking
the responsibility," he would have retired from
office with almost as much credit as he entered

upon it, which is as much as any public man can

6

62 COLONEL Crockett's

reasonably expect. But the General is a whole
team, and when fairly started, will be going ahead ;
and one might as well attempt to twist a streak of
lightning into a true lover's knot as to stop him.

Finding that I was bent on going, for I became
impatient to get into Texas, my kind friends at
Little Rock procured me a good horse to carry me
across to Red River. There are no bounds to the
good feeling of the pioneers of the west ; they con-
sider nothing a trouble that will confer a favour
upon a stranger that they chance to take a fancy
to : true, we are something like chestnut burs on
the outside, rather prickly if touched roughly, but
there's good fruit within.

My horse was brought to the door of the tavern,
around which many of the villagers were assembled.
The drum and fife were playing what was intended
for a lively tune, but .the skin of the drum stilL
hung as loose as the hide of a fat man far gone in a^
consumption ; and the fife had not yet recovered
from the asthma. The music sounded something
like a fellow singing, "Away with melancholy,'^ on
the way to the gallows. I took my leave of the
landlord, shook hands with the showman, who had
done more than an average business, kissed his
wife, who had recovered, and bidding farewell to
all my kind-hearted friends, I mounted my horse,

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 63

and left the village, accompanied by four or five
F gentlemen. The drum and fife now appeared to
exert themselves^ and made more noise than usual,
p while the crowd sent forth three cheers to encou-
rage me on my way.

I tried to raise some recruits for Texas among
my companions, but they said they had their own
[ affairs to attend to, which would keep them at
home for the present, but no doubt they would
come over and see us as soon as the disturbances
should be settled. They looked upon Texas as
being part of the United States, though the Mexi-
cans did claim it ; and they had no doubt the time
was not very distant when it would be received
into the glorious Union.

My companions did not intend seeing me farther
on my way than the Washita river, near fifty
miles. Conversation was pretty brisk, for we
talked about the ajQfairs of the nation and Texas ;
subjects that are by no means to be exhausted, if
one may judge by the long speeches made in Con-
gress, where they talk year in and year out ; and
it would seem that as much still remains to be said
as ever. As we drew nigh to the Washita, the
silence was broken alone by our own talk and the
clattering of our horses' hoofs ; and we imagined
ourselves pretty much the only travellers, when

64 COLONEL Crockett's

we were suddenly somewhat startled by the sound
of music. We checked our horses, and listened,
and the m^usic continued. " What can all that
mean }'' says I. " Blast my old shoes if I know,
Colonel," says one of the party. We listened
again, and we now heard, " Hail, Columbia, happy
land !" played in first-rate style. " That's fine,"
says I. "Fine as silk. Colonel, and leetle finer,"
says the other ; " but hark, the tune's changed."
We took another spell of listening, and now the
musician struck up, in a brisk and lively manner,
" Over the water to Charley." " That's mighty
mysterious," says one ; " Can't cipher it out no-
how," says another ; " A notch beyant my mea-
sure," says a third. " Then let us go ahead," says
I, and ofi" we dashed at a pretty rapid gait, I tell
you — by no means slow.

As we approached the river we saw to the right
of the road a new clearing on a hill, where sev^eral
men were at work, and they running down the
hill like wild Indians, or rather like the office
holders in pursuit of the deposites. There appear-
ed to be no time to be lost, so they ran, and we
cut ahead for the crossing. The music continued
all this time stronger and stronger, and the very
notes appeared to speak distinctly, " Over the
water to Charley."

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 65

When we reached the crossing we were struck
all of a heap, at beholding a man seated in a sulky
in the middle of the river, and playing for life on
a fiddle. The horse was up to his middle in the
water ; ^nd it seemed as if the flimsy vehicle was
ready to be swept away by the current. Still the
fiddler fiddled on composedly, as if his life had
been insured, and he was nothing more than a
passenger. We thought he was mad, and shouted
to him. He heard us, and stopped his music.
^^ You have missed the crossing,^^ shouted one of
the men from the clearing. "I know I have,"
returned the fiddler. " If you go ten feet farth'er
you will be drowned." "I know I shall," re-
turned the fiddler. " Turn back," said the man.
"I can't," said the other. "Then how the devil
will you get out .?" « Pm sure I don't know :
come you and help me."

The men from the clearing, who understood the
river, took our horses and rode up to the sulky,
and after some difficulty, succeeded in bringing the
traveller safe to shore, when we recognised the
worthy parson who had fiddled for us at the puppet
show at Little Rock. They told him that he had
had a narrow escape, and he replied, that he had
found that out an hour ago. He said he had been
fiddling to the fishes for a full hour, and had

6*

66 COLONEL Crockett's

exhausted all the tunes that he could play without
notes. We then asked him what could have in-
duced him to think of fiddling at a time of such
peril ; and he replied, that he had remarked in his
progress through life, that there was nothing in
univarsal natur so well calculated to draw people
together as the sound of a fiddle ; and he knew,
that he might bawl until he was hoarse for assist-
ance, and no one would stir a peg ; but they would
no sooner hear the scraping of his catgut, than
they w^ould quit all other business, and come to the
spot in flocks. We laughed heartily at the know-
ledge the parson showed of human natur. — And he
was right.

Having fixed up the old gentleman's sulky right
and tight, and after rubbing down his poor jaded
animal, the company insisted on having a dance
before we separated. We all had our flasks of
whisky ; we took a drink all round, and though
the parson said he had had about enough fiddling
for one day, he struck up with great good humourj
at it we went, and danced straight fours for an
hour and better. We all enjoyed ourselves very
much, but came to the conclusion, that dancing
wasn't altogether the thing without a few petticoats
to give it variety.

The dance being over, our new friends pointed

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 67

out the right fording, and assistftd^.tlia.parson across
the river. We took another drink all round, and
after shaking each other cordially by the hand, we
separated, wishing each other all the good fortune
that the rugged lot that has been assigned us will
afford. My friends retraced the road to Little
Rock, and I pursued my journey; and as I thought
of their disinterested kindness to an entire stranger,
I felt that the world is not quite as heartless and
selfish as some grumblers would have us think.

The Arkansas is a pretty fine territory, being
about five hundred and Mty miles in length from
east to west, with a mean width of near two hundred,
extending over an area of about one hundred thou-
sand square miles. The face of the country from its
great extent is very much diversified. It is pretty
well watered, being intersected by the Arkansas
river and branches of the Red, Washita, and White
rivers. The Maserne mountains, which rise in
Missouri, traverse Arkansas and extend into Texas.
That part of the territory to the south-east of the
Masernes is for the most part low, and in many
places liable to be overflooded annually. To the
north-west of the mountains the country presents
generally an open expanse of prairie without wood,
except near the borders of the streams. The sea-
sons of the year partake of those extremes of heat

68 COLONEL Crockett's

and cold; which might be expected in so great an
extent, and in a country which affords so much
difference of level. The summers are as remark-
able as is the winters for extremes of temperature.
The soil exhibits every variety, from the most
productive to the most sterile. The forest trees
are numerous and large; such as oak, hickory, syca-
more, cotton-wood, locust, and pine. The culti-
vated fruit trees are the apple, pear, peach, plum,
nectarine, cherry, and quhice ; and the various
kinds of grain, such as wheat, rye, oats, barley, and
Indian corn, succeed amazing well. Cotton, In-
dian corn, flour, peltry, salted provisions, and lum-
ber, are the staples of this territory. Arkansas
was among the most ancient settlements of the 1
French in Louisiana. That nation had a hunting
and trading post on the Arkansas river as early as
the beginning of the eighteenth century. Arkan-
sas, I rather reckon, will be admitted as a state into
the Union during the next session of Congress ;
and if the citizens of Little Rock are a fair sample
of her children, she cannot fail to go ahead.

I kept in company with the parson until we ar-
rived at Greenville, and I do say, he was just about
as pleasant an old gentleman to travel with, as any
man who wasn't too darned particular could ask
for We talked about politics, religion, and natur,

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 69

farming and bear hunting, and the many blessings
that an all bountiful Providence has bestowed upon
our happy country. He continued to talk upon
this subject, travelling over the whole ground as it
were, until his imagination glowed, and his soul
became full to overflowing ; and he checked his
horse, and I stopped mine also, and a stream of
eloquence burst forth from his aged lips, such as I
have seldom listened to : it came from the over-
flowing fountain of a pure and grateful heart. We
were alone in the wilderness, but ks he proceeded
it seemed to me as if the tall trees bent their tops
to listen ; that the mountain stream laughed out
joyfully as it bounded on like some living thing ;
that the fading flowers of autumn smiled, and sent
forth fresher fragrance, as if conscious that they
would revive in spring ; and even the sterile rocks
seemed to be endued with some mysterious influ-
ence. We were alone in the wilderness, but all
things told me that God was there. That thought
renewed my strength and courage. I had left my
country, felt somewhat like an outcast, believed
that I had been neglected and lost sight of : but I
was now conscious that there was still one watch-
ful Eye over me ; no matter whether I dwelt in
the populous cities, or threaded the pathless forest
alone; no matter whether I stood in the high

70 COLONEL Crockett's

places among men, or made my solitary lair in the
untrodden wild, that Eye was still upon me. My
very soul leaped joyfully at the thought ; I never
felt so grateful in all my life ; I never loved my
God so sincerely in all my life. I felt that I still
had a friend.

When the old man finished I found that my
eyes were wet with tears. 1 approached and press-
ed his hand, and thanked him, and says I, "Now let
us take a drink." I set him the example, and he
followed it, and in a style too that satisfied me,
that if he had ever belonged to the Temperance
society, he had either renounced membership or
obtained a dispensation. Having liquored, we pro-
ceeded on our journey, keeping a sharp look-out
for mill seats and plantations as we rode along.

I left the worthy old man at Greenville, and
sorry enough I was to part with him, for he talked
a great deal, and he seemed to know a little about
every thing. He knew all about the history of
the country; was well acquainted with all the lead-
ing men ; knew where all the good lands lay in
most of the western states, as well as the cutest
clerk in the Land office ; and had traced most of
the rivers to their sources. He was very cheerful
and happy, though to all appearances very poor,
I thought that he would make a first-rate agent for

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 71

taking up lands, and mentioned it to him ; he
smiledj and pointing above, said, "My wealth lies
not in this world/^

I mounted my horse, and pushed forward on my
road to Fulton. When I reached Washington, a
village a few miles from the Red river, I rode up
to the Black Bear tavern, when the following con-
versation took place between me and the landlord,
which is a pretty fair sample of the curiosity of
some folks : —

" Good morning, mister — I don't exactly re-
collect your name now,'^ said the landlord as I
alighted.

" It's of no consequence," said I.

" I'm pretty sure I've seen ye somewhere."

" Very likely you may, I've been there fre-
quently."

" I was sure 'twas so; but strange I should forget
your name," says he.

" It is indeed somewhat strange that you should
forget what you never knew," says I.

" It is unaccountable strange. It's what I'm not
often in the habit of, I assure you. I have, for the
most part, a remarkably detentive memory. In
the power of people that pass along this way, I've
scarce ever made, as the doctors say, a slapsus
slinkiim of this kind afore,"

72 COLONEL Crockett's

"Eh hell!'' I shouted, while the critter con-
tinued.

" Travelling to the western country, I presume,

mister ?"

" Presume any thing you please, sir," says I,
" but don't trouble me with your presumptions."

"0 Lord, no, sir — I won't do that — I've no ideer
of that — not the least ideer in the world," says he;
" I suppose you've been to the westward afore

now ?"

" Well, suppose I have ?"

" Why, on that supposition, I was going to say
you must be pretty well — that is to say, you must
know something about the place."

"Eh heh!" I ejaculated, looking sort of mazed
full in his face. The tarnel critter still went ahead.

" I take it you're a married man, mister ?"

" Take it as you will, that is no affair of mine,"
says I.

"Well, after all, a married life is the most hap-
piest way of living ; don't you think so, mister ?"

" Very possible," says I.

" I conclude you have a family of children, sir?"

" I don't know what reason you have to con-
clude so."

"0, no reason in the world, mister, not the least,"
says he ; " but I thought I might just take the

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 73

liberty to make the presumption, you know, that's all,
sir. I take it, mister, you're a man about my age ?"

"Ehheh!"

" How old do you call yourself, if I may be so
bold V

"You're bold enough, the devil knows," says I;
and as I spoke rather sharp, the varment seemed
rather staggered, but he soon recovered himself,
and came up to the chalk again.

"No offence, I hope — I — I — I — wouldn't be
thought uncivil by any means ; I always calculate
to treat everybody with civility.''

" You have a very strange way of showing it."

" True, as you say, I ginnerally take my own
way in these ere matters.— Do you practise law,
mister, or farming, or mechanicals ?"

" Perhaps so," says I.

" Ah, I judge so ; I was pretty certain it must
be the case. Well, it's as good business as any
there is followed now-a-days."

"Eh heh!" I shouted, and my lower jaw fell in
amazement at his perseverance.

" I take it you've money at interest, mister ?"
continued the varment, without allowing himself
time to take breath.

" Would it be of any particular Interest to you

to find out ?" says I.

7

74 COLONEL Crockett's

" Oj not at all, not the least in the world, sir.
I'm not at all inquisitive about other people's mat
ters ; I mind's my own business — that's my way."

'^ And a very odd way you have of doing it too."

" I've been thinking what persuasion you're of —
whether you're a Unitarian or Baptist, or whether
you belong to the Methodisses."

" Well, what's the conclusion ?"

" Why, I have concluded that I'm pretty near
right in my conjectures. Well, after all, Pm in-
clined to think they're the nearest right of any
persuasion — though some folks think diiferently."

"Eh heh!" I shouted again.

" As to pollyticks, I take it, you — that is to say,
I suppose you "

" Very likely."

"Ah! I could have sworn it was so from the
moment I saw you. I have a nack at finding out
a man's sentiments. I dare say, mister, you're a
justice in your own country ?"

"And if I may return the compliment, I should
say you're a just ass everywhere." By this time
I began to get weary of his impertinence, and led
my horse to the trough to water, but the darned
critter followed me up.

" Why, yes," said he, " I'm in the commission
of the peace, to be sure — and an officer in the

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 75

militia — though between you and I, I wouldn't
wish to boast of it."

My horse having finished drinking, I put one
foot in the stirrup, and was preparing to mount —
'^ Any more inquiries to make ?'' said I.

"Why, no, nothing to speak on/' said he.
"When do you return, mister ?"

" About the time I come back," said I ; and
leaping into the saddle galloped off. The pesti-
^ferous varment bawled after me, at the top of his
voice, —

" Well, I shall look for ye then. I hope you
won't fail to call."

Now, who in all natur do you reckon the crittur
was, who afforded so fine a sample of the imperti-
nent curiosity that some people have to pry into
other people's affairs ? I knew him well enough
at first sight, though he seemed to have forgotten
me. It was no other than Job Snelling, the manu-
facturer of cayenne pepper out of mahogany saw-
dust, and upon whom I played the trick with the
coon skin. I pursued my journey to Fulton, and
laughed heartily to think what a swither I had left
poor Job in, at not gratifying his curiosity ; for I
knew he was one of those fellows who would peep
I down your throat just to ascertain what you had
eaten for dinner.

76 COLONEL Crockett's

When I arrived at Fulton, I inquired for a gen-
tleman to whom my friends at Little Rock had
given me a letter of introduction. I was received
in the most hospitable manner ; and as the steam-
boat did not start for Natchitoches until the next
day, I spent the afternoon in seeing all that was to
be seen. I left my horse with the gentleman, who
promised to have him safely returned to the owner;
and I took the steamboat, and started on my way
down the Red river, right well pleased with my
reception at Fulton.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 77

CHAPTER VI.

There was a considerable number of passengers
^on board the boat, and our assortment was some-
what like the Yankee merchant's cargo of notions,
)retty particularly miscellaneous, I tell you. I
noved through the crowd from stem to stern, to
see if I could discover any face that was not alto-
gether strange to me ; but after a general survey,
concluded that I had never seen one of them
)efore. There were merchants and emigrants and
gamblers, but none who seemed to have embarked
in the particular business that for the time being
)ccupied my mind — I could find none who were
joing to Texas. All seemed to have their hands
"full enough of their own affairs, without meddling
with the cause of freedom. The greater share of
glory will be mine, thought I, so go ahead, Crockett.
I saw a small cluster of passengers at one end of
the boat, and hearing an occasional burst of laughter,
thinks I, there's some sport started in that quarter,
and having nothing better to do, I'll go in for my
share of it. Accordingly I drew nigh to the

78 COLONEL CROCKETT^S

cluster, and seated on a chest was a tall lank sea
sarpent looking blackleg, who had crawled over
from Natchez under the hill, and was amusing the
passengers with his skill at thimblerig ; at the
same time he was picking up their shillings just
about as expeditiously as a hungry gobbler would
a pint of corn. He was doing what might be called
an average business in a small way, and lost no
time in gathering up the fragments.

I watched the whole process for some time, and
found that he had adopted the example set by the old
tempter himself, to get the weathergage of us poor
weak mortals. He made it a point to let his vic-
tims win always the first stake, that they might be
tempted to go ahead ; and then, when they least
suspected it, he would come down upon them like
a hurricane in a cornfield, sweeping all before it.

I stood looking on, seeing him pick up the
chicken feed from the green horns, and thought if
men are such darned fools as to be cheated out of
their hard earnings by a fellow who had just brains
enough to pass a pea from one thimble to another,
with such slight of hand, that you could not tell
under v/hich he had deposited it; it is not astonishing
that the magician of Kinderhook should play thim-
blerig upon the big figure, and attempt to cheat the
whole nation. I thought that " the Government"

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 79

was playing the same game with the deposites, and
with such address too, that before long it will be
a hard matter to find them under any of Ihe thim-
bles where it is supposed they have been originally
placed.

The thimble conjurer saw me looking on, and
eyeing me as if he thought I would be a good sub-
ject, said carelessly, " Come, stranger, won't you
take a chance V^ the whole time passing the pea
from one thimble to the other, by way of throwing
out a bait for the gudgeons to bite at. " I never
gamble, stranger,'' says I, " principled against it ;
think it a slippery way of getting through the
world at best." "• Them are my sentiments to a
notch," says he ; " but this is not gambling by no
means. A little innocent pastime, nothing more.
Better take a hack by way of trying your luck at
guessing." All this time he continued working
with his thimbles ; first putting the pea under one,
which was plain to be seen, and then uncovering
it, would show that the pea was there ; he would
then put it under the second thimble, and do the
same, and then under the third ; all of which he
did to show how easy it would be to guess where
the pea was deposited, if one would only keep a
sharp look-out.

"Come, stranger," says he to me again, "you

80 COLONEL Crockett's

had better take a chance. Stake a trifle, I don't
care how small, just for the fun of the thing.'*

" I am principled against betting money/' says I,
"but I don't mind going in for drinks for the
present company, for I'm as dry as one of little
Isaac Hill's regular set speeches."

"I admire your principles," says he, "and to show
that I play with these here thimbles just for the sake
of pastime, I will take that bet, though I'm a whole
hog temperance man. Just say when, stranger."

He continued all the time slipping the pea from
one thimble to another ; my eye was as keen as a
lizard's, and when he stopped, I cried out, "Now;
the pea is under the middle thimble." He was
going to raise it to show that it wasn't there, when
I interfered, and said, " Stop, if you please," and
raised it myself, and sure enough the pea was
there ; but it mought have been otherwise if he had
had the uncovering of it.

" Sure enough you've won the bet," says he.
" You've a sharp eye, but I don't care if I give
you another chance. Let us go fifty cents this
bout ; I'm sure you'll win.'^

" Then you're a darned fool to bet, stranger,"
says I ; " and since that is the case, it would be
little better than picking your pocket to bet with
you ; so I'll let it alone."

I

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. . 81

*' I don't mind running the risk/' said he.

" But I do," says I ; " and since I alwa3^s let well
enough alone, and I have had just about glory-
enough for one day, let us all go to the bar and
liquor."

This called forth a loud laugh at the thimble
conjurer's expense ; and he tried hard to induce me
to take just one chance more, but he mought just
as well have sung psalms to a dead horse, for my
mind was made up ; and I told him, that I looked
upon gambling as about the dirtiest way that a
man could adopt to get through this dirty world ;
and that I would never bet any thing beyond a
quart of whisky upon a rifle shot, which I con-
sidered a legal bet, and gentlemanly and rational
amusement. "But all this cackling," says I,
" makes me very thirsty, so let us adjourn to the
bar and liquor."

He gathered up his thimbles, and the whole
company followed us to the bar, laughing heartily
at the conjurer ; for, as he had won some of their
money, they were sort of delighted to see him
beaten with his own cudgel. He tried to laugh
too, but his laugh wasn't at all pleasant, and rather
forced. The barkeeper placed a big-bellied bottle
before us -, and after mixing our liquor, I was called
on for a toast, by one of the company, a chap just

S2 COLONEL CHOCKETt's

about as rough hewn as if he had been cut out of a
gum log with a broad axe, and sent into the market
without even being smoothed off with a jack plane,
— one of them chaps who, in their journey through
life, are always ready for a fight or a frolic, and
don't care the toss of a copper which.

" Well, gentlemen,'' says I, " being called upon
for a toast, and being in a slave-holding state, in
order to avoid^giving offence, and running the risk
of being Lynched, it may be necessary to premise
that I am neither an abolitionist nor a coloniza-
tionist, but simply Colonel Crockett, of Tennessee,
now bound for Texas." When they heard my
name they gave three cheers for Colonel Crockett ;
and silence being restored, I continued, "Now,
gentlemen, I will offer you a toast, hoping, after
what I have stated, that it will give offence to no
one present; but should I be mistaken, I must
imitate the * old Roman,' and take the responsi-
bility. I offer, gentlemen. The abolition of slavery:
Let the work first begin in the two houses of Con-
gress. There are no slaves in the country more
servile than the party slaves in Congress. The
wink or the nod of their masters is all sufiicient for
the accomplishment of the most dirty work."

They drank the toast in a style that satisfied me,
that the Little Magician might as well go to a pig-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 83

sty for wool, as to beat round in that part for
voters ; they were all either for Judge White or
Old Tippecanoe. The thimble * conjurer having
asked the barkeeper how much was to pay, was
told there were sixteen smallers, which amounted
to one dollar. He was about to lay down the blunt,
but not in Benton's metallic currency, which I find
has already become as shy as honesty with an office
holder, but he planked down one of Biddle's notes,
when I interfered, and told him that the barkeeper
had made a mistake.

"How so ?" demanded the barkeeper.

" How much do you charge," says I, " when
you retail your liquor ?'^

" A fip a glass."

" Well, then," says I, " as Thimblerig here, who
belongs to the temperance society, took it in
wholesale, I reckon you can afford to let him have
it at half price ?"

Now, as they had all noticed that the conjurer
went what is called the heavy wet, they laughed
outright, and we heard no more about temperance
from that quarter. When we returned to the deck
the blackleg set to work with his thimbles again,
and bantered me to bet ; but I told him that it was
against my principle, and as I had already reaped
glory enough for one day, T would just let well

84 COLONEL CROCKETT^S

enough alone for the }3resent. If the " old Roman^'
had done the same in relation to the deposites and
" the monster/' we should have escaped more dif-
ficulties than all the cunning of the Little Flying
Dutchman^ and Dick Johnson to boot, will be able
to repair. I shouldn't be astonished if the new
Vice President's head should get wool gathering,
before they have half unravelled the knotted and
twisted thread of perplexities that the old General
has spun, — in which case his charming spouse will
no doubt be delighted, for then they will be all in
the family way. What a handsome display they
will make in the White House. No doubt the
first act of CongTess will be to repeal the duties
on Cologne and Lavender waters, for they will
be in great demand about the Palace, particularly
in the dog days.

One of the passengers, hearing that I was on
board of the boat, came up to me, and began to talk
about the affairs of the nation, and said a good deal
in favour of '^ the Magician," and wished to hear
what I had to say against him. He talked loud,
which is the way with all politicians educated in
the Jackson school ; and by his slang-whanging,
drew a considerable crowd around us. Now, this
was the very thing I wanted, as I knew I should
not soon have another opportunity of making a

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 85

political speech ; he no sooner asked to hear what
I had to say against his candidate, than I let him
have it, strong and hot as he could take, I tell
you.

" What have I to say against Martin Van Buren ?
He is an artful, cunning, intriguing, selfish, specu-
lating lawyer, who, by holding lucrative offices for
more than half his life, has contrived to amass a
princely fortune, and is now seeking the presidency,
principally for sordid gain, and to gratify the most
selfish ambition. His fame is unknown to the his-
tory of our country, except as a most adroit political
manager and successful office hunter. He never
took up arms in defence of his country, in her days
of darkness and peril. He never contributed a
'dollar of his surplus wealth to assist her in her
hours of greatest v/ant and weakness. Office and
MONEY have been the gods of his idolatry ; and at
their shrines has the ardent worship of his heart
been devoted, from the. earliest days of his manhood
to the present moment. He can lay no claim to
pre-eminent services as a statesman; nor has he
ever given any evidences of superior talent, except
as a political electioneerer and intriguer. As a
politician he is ' all things to all men.' He is for
internal improvement, and against it ; for the tariff,

and against it ; for the bank monopoly, and against

8

86 COLONEL CROCi:ETT^g

it J for abolition of slavery, and against it ; and for
any thing else, and against any thing else ; just as
he can best promote his popularity and subserve
his own private interest. He is so totally destitute
of moral courage, that he never dares to give an
opinion upon any important question until he first
finds out whether it will be popular, or not. He is
celebrated as the ^ Little Non Committal Magician,'
because he enlists on no side of any question until
he discovers which is the strongest party ; and then
always moves in so cautious, sly, and secret a man-
ner, that he can change sides at any time, as easily
as a juggler or a magician can play off* his arts of
legerdemain.

" Who is Martin Van Buren } He is the can-
didate of the office holders and office expectants,
who nominated him for the presidency, at a con-
vention assembled in the city of Baltimore, in May
last. The first account we have of his political life
is while he was a member of the Senate of New
York, at the time when Mr. Clinton was nominated
as the federal candidate for the presidency, in op-
position to Mr. Madison. The support he then
gave Mr. Clinton affi)rded abundant evidence of
that spirit of opposition to the institutions of his
countr}?-, which was prominently developed in the
conduct of those with whom he was united. Shortly

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 87

after the success of Mr. Madison, and during the
prosecution of the war, Rufus King, of New York,
(for whom Mr. Van Buren voted,) was elected to
the Senate of the United States, avowedly opposed
to the administration. Upon his entrance into that
body, instead of devoting his energies to maintain
the war, he commenced a tirade of abuse against
the administration for having attempted relief to

I the oppressed seamen of our gallant navy, who had
been compelled by British violence to arm them-

I selves against their country, their firesides, and
their friends. Thus Martin Van Buren counte-
nanced, by his vote in the Senate of New York, an
opposition to that war, which, a second time, con-
vinced Great Britain that Americans could not be
awed into bondage and subjection.

" Subsequent to this time Mr. Van Buren became
himself a member of the United States Senate, and,

^ while there, opposed every proposition to improve
the west or to add to her numerical strength.

" He voted against the continuance of the na-
tional road through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and
against appropriations for its preservation.

" He voted against the graduation of the price
of the public lands.

" He voted against ceding the refuse lands to
the states in which they lie.

88 COLONEL Crockett's

" He voted against making donations of the
lands to actual settlers.

"He again voted against ceding the refuse lands,
not worth twenty-five cents per acre, to the new
states for purposes of education and internal im-
provement.

" He voted against the bill providing ^ settle-
ment and pre-emption rights' to those who had
assisted in opening and improving the western
country, and thus deprived many an honest poor
man of a home.

" He voted against donations of land to Ohio,
to prosecute the Miami Canal ; and, although a
member of the Senate, he was not present when
the vote was taken upon the engrossment of the
bill giving land to Indiana for her Wabash and
Erie Canal, and was known to have opposed it in
all its stages.

" He voted in favour of erecting toll gates on
the national road ; thus demanding a tribute from
the west for the right to pass upon her own high-
ways, constructed out of her own money — a thing
never heard of before.

" After his term of service had expired in the
Senate, he was elected Governor of New York, by
a plurality of votes. He was afterward sent to
England as minister plenipotentiary, and upon his

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 89

return was elected Vice President of the United
States, which office he now holds, and from which
the office holders are seeking to transfer him to the
presidency."

My speech was received with great applause,
and the politician, finding that I was better ac-
quainted with his candidate than he was himself,
for I wrote his life^ shut his fly trap, and turned
on his heel without saying a word. He found that
he had barked up the wrong tree. I afterward
learnt that he was a mail contractor in those parts,
and that he also had large dealings in the Land
office, and tlierefore thought it necessary to chime
in with his penny whistle, in the universal chorus.
There's a large band of the same description, but
I'm thinking Uncle Sam will some day find out
that he has paid too much for the piper.

8*

90 COLONEL Crockett's

CHAPTER VII.

After my speech, and setting my face against
gambling, poor Thimblerig was obliged to break
off conjuring for want of customers, and call it half
a day. He came and entered into conversation
with me, and I found him a good-natured intelli-
gent fellow, with a keen eye for the main chance.
He belonged to that numerous class, that it is per-
fectly safe to trust as far as a tailor can sling a bull
by the tail — but no farther. He told me that he
had been brought up a gentleman ; that is to say,
he was not instructed in any useful pursuit by
which he could obtain a livelihood, so that when
he found he had to depend upon himself for the
necessaries of life, he began to suspect, that dame
nature would have conferred a particular favour
if she had consigned him to the care of any one
else. She had made a very injudicious choice
when she selected him to sustain the dignity of a
gentleman.

The first bright idea that occurred to him as a
speedy means of bettering his fortune, would be to

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 91

marry an heiress. Accordingly he looked about
himself pretty sharp, and after glancing from one
fair object to another, finally his hawk's eye rested
upon the young and pretty daughter of a wealthy
planter. Thimblerig run his brazen face with his
tailor for a new suit, for he abounded more in that
metallic currency than he did in either Benton's
mint drops or in Biddle's notes ; and having the
gentility of his outward Adam thus endorsed by
his tailor — an important endorsement, by-the-way,
as times go — he managed to obtain an introduction
to the planter's daughter.

Our worthy had the principle of going ahead
strongly developed. He was possessed of consider-
able address, and had brass enough in his face to
make a wash-kettle; and having once got access to
the planter's house, it was no easy matter to dis-
lodge him. In this he resembled those politicians
who commence life as office holders; they will
ihang on tooth and nail, and even when death
I shakes them off, you'll find a commission of some
kind crumpled up in their clenched fingers. Little
[-Van appears to belong to this class — there's no
beating his snout from the public crib. He'll feed
there while there's a grain of corn left, and even
^then, from long habit, he'll set to work and gnaw
at the manger.

9;3 COLONEL CROCKETT^S

Thimblerig got the blind side of the planter,
and every thing to outward appearances went on
swimmingly. Our worthy boasted to his cronies
that the business was settled, and that in a few weeks
he should occupy the elevated station in society
that nature had designed him to adorn. He swelled
like the frog in the fable, or rather like Johnson's
wife, of Kentucky, when the idea occurred to her
of figuring away at Washington. But there's many
a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip, says the proverb,
and suddenly Thimblerig discontinued his visits at
the planter's house. His friends inquired of him the
meaning of this abrupt termination of his devotions.

" I have been treated with disrespect," replied
the worthy, indignantly.

" Disrespect ! in what way ?"

" My visits, it seems, are not altogether agree-
able."

"But how have you ascertained that ?"

" I received a hint to that efiect ; and I can take
a hint as soon as another."

" A hint! — and have you allowed a hint to drive
you from the pursuit? For shame. Go back again."

"No, no, never! a hint is sufficient for a man
of my gentlemanly feelings. I asked the old man
for his daughter." *•

" Well, what followed ? what did he say ?"

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 93

" Didn't say a word.''

" Silence gives consent all the world over."

" So I thought. I then told nim to fix the day."

" Well, what then ?"

" Why, then he kicked me down stairs, and
ordered his slaves to pump upon me. That's hint
enough for me, that my visits are not properly
appreciated j and blast my old shoes if I condescend
to renew the acquaintance, or notice them in any
way until they send for me."

As Thimblerig's new coat became rather too
seedy to play the part of a gentleman much longer
in real life, he determined to sustain that character
upon the stage, and accordingly joined a company
of players. He began, according to custom, at the
top of the ladder, and was regularly hissed and
pelted through every gradation until he found
himself at the lowest rowel. " This," said he, " was
a dreadful check to proud ambition;" but he con-
soled himself with the idea of peace and quiet in
his present obscure walk ; and though he had no
prospect of being elated by the applause of admiring
multitudes, he no longer trod the scene of mimic
glory in constant dread of becoming a target for
rotten eggs and oranges. — "And there was much
in that," said Thimblerig. But this calm could
not continue for ever.

94 COLONEL Crockett's

The manager, who, like all managers who pay sala-
ries regularly, was as absolute behind the scenes as
the "old Roman" is%i the White House, had fixed
upon getting up an eastern spectacle, called the
Cataract of the Ganges. He intended to introduce
a fine procession, in which an elephant was to be
the principal feature. Here a difficulty occurred.
What was to be done for an elephant ? Alligators
were plenty in those parts, but an elephant was
not to be had for love or money. But an alligator
would not answer the purpose, so he determined
to make a pasteboard elephant as large as life, and
twice as natural. The next difficulty was to find
members of the company of suitable dimensions to
perform the several members of the pasteboard
star. The manager cast his eye upon the long
gaunt figure of the unfortunate Thimblerig, and
cast him for the hinder legs, the rump, and part of
the back of the elephant. The poor player ex-
postulated, and the manager replied, that he would
appear as a star on the occasion, and would no
doubt receive more applause than he had during
his whole career. " But I shall not be seen," said
the player. " All the better," replied the manager,
^'^ as in that case you will have nothing to apprehend
from eggs and oranges."

Thimblerig, finding that mild expostulation avail-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 95

ed nothing, swore that he would not study the part,
and accordingly threw it up in dignified disgust.
He said that it was an outrage upon the feelings of
the proud representative of Shakspeare's heroes, to
be compelled to play pantomime in the hinder parts
of the noblest animal that ever trod the stage. If it
had been the fore quarters of the elephant, it might
possibly have been made a speaking part ; at any
rate he might have snorted through the trunk, if
nothing more ; but from the position he was to
occupy, damned the word could he utter, or even
roar with propriety. He therefore positively re-
fused to act, as he considered it an insult to his
reputation to tread the stage in such a character ;
and he looked upon the whole affair as a profana-
tion of the legitimate drama. The result was, our
worthy was discharged from the company, and
compelled to commence hoeing another row.

He drifted to New Orleans, and hired himself
as marker to a gambling table. Here he remained
but a few months, for his ideas of arithmetic differ-
ed widely from those of his employer, and accord-
ingly they had some difficulty in balancing the
caBh account ; for when his employer, in adding up
the receipts, made it nought and carry two, Thim-
blerig insisted that it should be nought and carry
one ; and in order to prove that he was correct,

96 COLONEL Crockett's

he carried himself off, and left nothing behind
him.

He now commenced professional blackleg on his
own hook, and took up his quarters in Natchez
under the hill. Here he remained, doing business
in a small way, until Judge Lynch commenced his
practice in that quarter, and made the place toojiot
for his comfort. He shifted his habitation, but not
having sufficient capital to go the big figure, he
practised the game of thimblerig until he acquired
considerable skill, and then commenced passing up
and down the river in the steamboats; and managed,
by close attention to business, to pick up a decent
livelihood in the small way, from such as had more
pence in their pockets than sense in their noddles.

I found Thimblerig to be a pleasant talkative ^
fellow. He communicated the foregoing facts with
as much indifference as if there had been nothing
disgraceful in his career ; and at times he would
chuckle with an air of triumph at the adroitness he
had displayed in some of the knavish tricks he had
practised. He looked upon this world as one vast
stage, crowded with empirics and jugglers ; and
that he who could practise his deceptions with the
greatest skill was entitled to the greatest applause.

I asked him to give me an account of Natchez
and his adventures there, and I would put it in the

w

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 97

book I intended to write, when he gave me the
following, which betrays that his feelings were
still somewhat irritated at being obliged to give
them leg bail when Judge Lynch made his appear-
ance. I give it in his own words.

" Natchez is a land of fevers, alligators, niggers,
and cotton bales : where the sun shines with force
sufficient to melt the diamond, and the word ice
is expunged from the dictionary, for its definition
cannot be comprehended by the natives : where
to refuse grog before breakfast would degrade you
below the brute creation ; and where a good dinner
is looked upon as an angel's visit, and voted a
miracle : where the evergreen and majestic mag-
nolia tree, with its superb flower, unknown to the
northern climes, and its fragrance unsurpassed, calls
forth the admiration of every beholder ; and the
dark moss hangs in festoons from the forest trees
like the drapery of a funeral pall : where bears,
the size of young jackasses, are fondled in l^eu of
pet dogs; and knives, the length of a barber's pole,
usurp the place of toothpicks : where the filth
of the town is carried off by buzzards, and the in-
habitants are carried off by fevers : where nigger
women are knocked down by the auctioneer, and
knocked up by the purchaser : where the poorest

slave has plenty of yellow boys, but not of Benton's

9

98 COLONEL Crockett's

mintage ; and indeed the shades of colour are so
varied and mixed, that a nigger is frequently seen
black and blue at the same time. And such is
Natchez.

" The town is divided into two parts, as distinct
in character as they are in appearance. Natchez
on the hill, situated upon a high bluff overlooking
the Mississippi, is a pretty little town with streets
regularly laid out, and ornamented with divers
handsome public buildings. Natchez under the
hill, — where, 0! where, shall I find words suitable
to describe the peculiarities of that unholy spot ?
'Tis, in fact, the jumping off place. Satan looks on
it with glee, and chuckles as he beholds the orgies
of his votaries. The buildings are for the most
jDart brothels, taverns, or gambling houses, and fre-
quently the whole three may be found under the
same roof. Obscene songs are sung at the top of
the voice in all quarters. I have repeatedly seen
the strumpets tear a man's clothes from his back,
and leave his body beautified with all the colours
of the rainbow.

"One of the most popular tricks is called the
* Spanish burial.' When a greenhorn makes his
appearance among them, one who is in the plot
announces the death of a resident, and that all
strangers must subscribe to the custom of the place

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 99

I upon such an occasion. They forthwith arrange a
procession; each person, as he passes the departed,
kneels down and pretends to kiss the treacherous
corpse. When the unsophisticated attempts this
ceremony the dead man clinches him, and the
„ mourners beat the fellow so entrapped until he
consents to treat all hands ; but should he be pen-
niless, his life will be endangered by the severity
of the castigation. And such is Natchez under
the hill.

" An odd affair occurred while I was last there,"
continued Thimblerig. " A steamboat stopped at

f the landing, and one of the hands went ashore under
the hill to purchase provisions, and the adroit citi-

I zens of that delectable retreat contrived to rob him
^of all his money. The captain of the boat, a deter-
mined fellow, went ashore in the hope of persuad -

^ ing them to refund, — but that cock wouldn't fight.
iWithout farther ceremony, assisted by his crevi/
rand passengers, some three or four hundred iia
j number, he made fast an immense cable to the frame
[tenement where the theft had been perpetrated, and
fallowed fifteen minutes for the money to be forthi-
[coming ; vowing, if it was not produced withi?ii
that time, to put steam to his boat, and drag thja
ihouse into the river. The money was instantl;jr

Droduced

i

100 COLONEL Crockett's

"I witnessed a sight during my stay there/'
continued the thimble conjurer, " that almost froze
my blood with horror, and will serve as a speci-
men of the customs of the far south. A planter, of
the name of Foster, connected with the best fami-
lies of the state, unprovoked, in cold blood, mur-
dered his young and beautiful wife, a few months
after marriage. He beat her deliberately to death
in a walk adjoining his dwelling, carried the body
to the hut of one of his slaves, washed the dirt from
her person, and, assisted by his negroes, buried her
upon his plantation. Suspicion was awakened, the
body disinterred, and the villain's guilt established.
He fled, was overtaken, and secured in prison. His
trial was, by some device of the law, delayed until
the third term of the court. At length it came on,
^nd so clear and indisputable was the evidence, that
I'lot a doubt was entertained of the result ; when,
hy an oversight on the part of the sheriff, who
iieglected swearing into office his deputy who sum-
inoned the jurors, the trial was abruptly discon-
tinued, and all proceedings against Foster were
^)Uspended, or rather ended.

i "There exists, throughout the extreme south,
bodies of men who style themselves Lynchers.
"*vVhen an individual escapes punishment by some
technicality of the law, or perpetrates an offence

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. lOl

not recognised in courts of justice, they seize him,
and inflict such chastisement as they conceive ade-
quate to the offence. They usually act at night,
and disguise their persons. This society at Nat-
chez embraces all the lawyers, physicians, and
principal merchants of the place. Foster, whom
all good men loathed as a monster unfit to live,
was called into court, and formally dismissed.
But the Lynchers were at hand. The moment
he stept from the court-house he was knocked
down, his arms bound behind him, his eyes ban-
daged, and in this condition was marched to the
rear of the town, where a deep ravine afforded a
lit place for his punishment. His clothes were
torn from his back, his head partially scalped, they
next bound him to a tree ; each Lyncher was sup-
plied with a cowskin, and they took turns at the
flogging until the flesh hung in ribands from his
body. A quantity of heated tar was then poured
over his head, and made to cover every part of his
person ; they finally showered a sack of feathers
on him, and in this horrid guise, with no other
apparel than a miserable pair of breeches, with a
drummer at his heels, he was paraded through the
principal streets at midday. No disguise was
assumed by the Lynchers ; the very lawyers em-
ployed upon his trial took part in his punishment.

9*

103 COLONEL Crockett's

" Owing to long confinement his gait had be-
come cramped, and his movements were very fal-
tering. By the time the procession reached the
most public part of the town, Foster fell down
from exhaustion, and was allowed to lie there for
a time, without exciting the sympathies of any
one, — an object of universal detestation. The
blood oozing from his stripes had become mixed
with the feathers and tar, and rendered his aspect
still more horrible and loathsome. Finding him
unable to proceed further, a common dray was
brought, and with his back to the horse's tail, the
drummer standing over him playing the rogue's
march, he was reconducted to prison, the only
place at which he would be received.

" A guard was placed outside of the jail to give
notice to the body of Lynchers when Foster might
attempt to escape, for they had determined on
branding him on the forehead and cutting his ears
off. At two o'clock in the morning of the second
subsequent day, two horsemen with a led horse
stopped at the prison, and Foster was with diffi-
culty placed astride. The Lynchers wished to
secure him ; he put spurs to his beast, and passed
them. As he rode by they fired at him ; a ball
struck his hat, which was thrown to the ground,
and he escaped ; but if ever found within the limits

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 103

of the state, will be shot down as if a price was set
on his head.

" Sights of this kind," continued Thimblerig,
" are by no means unfrequent. I once saw a
gambler, a sort of friend of mine, by-the-way,
detected cheating at faro, at a time when the bets
were running pretty high. They flogged him al-
most to death, added the tar and feathers, and placed
him aboard a dug-out, a sort of canoe, at twelve at
night ; and with no other instruments of navigation
than a bottle of whisky and a paddle, set him adrift
in the Mississippi. He has never been heard of
since, and the presumption is, that he either died
of his wounds or was run down in the night by a
steamer. And this is what we call Lynching in
Natchez."

Thimblerig had also been at Vicksburg in his
time, and entertained as little liking for that place
as he did for Natchez. He had luckily made his
escape a short time before the recent clearing-out
of the slight-of-hand gentry; and he reckoned some
time would elapse before he would pay them an-
other visit. He said they must become more
civilized first. All the time he was talking to me
he was seated on a chest, and playing mechanically
with his pea and thimbles, as if he was afraid that
he would lose the slight unless he kept his hand

104 COLONEL CKOCKETt's

in constant practice. Nothing of any consequence
occurred in our passage down the river, and I
arrived at Natchitoches in perfect health, and in
good spirits.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS.

105

CHAPTER VIII.

Natchitoches is a post town and seat of justice
for the parish of Natchitoches, Louisiana, and is
situated on the right bank of the Red river. The
houses are chiefly contained in one street, running
parallel to the river ; and the population I should
I reckon at about eight hundred. The soil in this
I parish is generally sterile, and covered with pine
timber, except near the margin of Red river, where
I the greatest part of the inhabitants are settled on
the alluvial banks. Some other, though compara-
tively small, tracts of productive soil skirt the
streams. An extensive body of low ground, sub-
ject to annual submersion, extends along the Red
river, which, it is said, will produce forty bushels
of frogs to the acre, and alligators enough to fence it.
I stayed two days at Natchitoches, during which
time I procured a horse to carry me across Texas
[ to the seat of war. Thimblerig remained with me,
and I found his conversation very amusing ; for he
is possessed of humour and observation, and has
seen something of the world. Between whiles he

106 COLONEL Crockett's

would amuse himself with his thimbles, to which
he appeared greatly attached, and occasionally he
would pick up a few shillings from the tavern
loungers. He no longer asked me to play with
him, for he felt somewhat ashamed to do so, and
he knew it would be no go.

I took him to task in a friendly manner, and
tried to shame him out of his evil practices. I told
him that it was a burlesque on human natur, that
an able bodied man, possessed of his full share of
good sense, should voluntarily debase himself, and
be indebted for subsistence to such pitiful artifice.

" But what's to be done. Colonel ?" says he.
**I'm in the slough of despond, up to the very
chin. A miry and slippery path to travel."

" Then hold your head up," says I, " before the
slough reaches your lips."

" But what's the use ?" says he ; " it's utterly
impossible for me to wade through ; and even if I
could, I should be in such a dirty plight, that it
would defy all the waters in the Mississippi to wash
me clean again. No," he added, in a desponding
tone, " I should be like a live eel in a frying pan,
Colonel, sort of out of my element, if I attempted
to live like an honest man at this time o' day."

^* That I deny. It is never too late to become
honest," said I. " But even admit what you say

1^

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 107

to be true — that you cannot live like an honest
man, you have at least the next best thing in your
power, and no one can say nay to it.'^

" And what is that ?"

" Die like a brave one. And I know not whether,
in the eyes of the world, a brilliant death is not
preferred to an obscure life-of rectitude. Most
men are remembered as they died, and not as they
lived. We gaze with admiration upon the glories
of the setting sun, yet scarcely bestow a passing
glance upon its noonday splendour."

" You are right ; but how is this to be done V

" Accompany me to Texas. Cut aloof from
your degrading habits and associates here, and in
fighting for their freedom, regain your own.'^

He started from the table, and hastily gathering
up the thimbles with which he had been playing
all the time I was talking to him, he thrust them
into his pocket, and after striding two or three
times across the room, suddenly stopped, his leaden
eye kindled, and grasping me by the hand violently,

he exclaimed with an oath, "By I'll be a man

again. Live honestly, or die bravely. I go with
you to Texas."

I said what I could to confirm him in his resolu-
tion, and finding that the idea had taken fast hold
of his mind, I asked him to liquor, which he did

10^ COLONEL Crockett's

not decline, notwithstanding the temperance habits
that he boasted of j we then took a walk on the
banks of the river.

The evening preceding my departure from Nat-
chitoches, a gentleman, with a good horse and a
light wagon, drove up to the tavern where I lodged.
He was accompanied by a lady who carried an
infant in her arms. As they alighted I recognised
the gentleman to be the politician at whom I had
discharged my last political speech, on board the
boat coming down the Red river. We had let him
out in our passage down, as he said he had some
business to transact some distance above Natchi-
toches. He entered the tavern, and seemed to be
rather shy of me, so I let him go, as I had no idea
of firing two shots at such small game.

The gentleman had a private room, and called
for supper ; but the lady, who used every precau-
tion to keep the child concealed from the view of
any one, refused to eat supper, saying she was un-
well. However, the gentleman made a hearty
meal, and excused the woman, saying " My wife
is subject to a pain in the stomach, which has de-
prived her of her food.'' Soon after supper the
gentleman desired a bed to be prepared, which
being done, they immediately retired to rest.

About an hour before daybreak, next morning,

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 109

the repose of the whole inn was disturbed by tlie
screams of the child. This continued for some
time, and at length the landlady got up to see what
it was ailed the noisy bantling. She entered the
chamber without a light, and discovered the gentle-
man seated in the bed alone, rocking the infant in
his arms, and endeavouring to quiet it by saying,
"Hush, my dear — mamma will soon return again."
However the child still squalled on, and the long
absence of the mother rendered it necessary that
something should be done to quiet it.

The landlady proposed taking up the child, to
see what was the reason of its incessant cries. She
approached the bed, and requested the man to give
her the infant, and tell her whether it was a son or
a daughter ; but this question redoubled his con-
sternation, for he was entirely ignorant which sex
the child belonged to ; however, with some diffi-
culty, he made the discovery, and informed the
landlady it was a son.

She immediately called for a light, which was
no sooner brought than the landlady began to un-
fold the wrapper from the child, and exclaim, " 0,
what a fine big son you have got!" But on a more
minute examination they found, to their great
astonishment, and to the mortification and vexation
of the supposed father, that the child was a mulatto,

10

110 COLONEL Crockett's

The wretched man, having no excuse to offer,
immediately divulged the whole matter without
reserve. He stated, that he had fell in with her on
the road to Natchitoches the day before, and had
offered her a seat in his v-ehicle. Soon perceiving
that she possessed an uncommon degree of assu-
rance, induced him to propose that they should
pass as man and wife, to which she readily assented.
No doubt she had left her own home in order to
rid herself of the stigma which she had brought on
herself by her lewd conduct j and at midnight she
had eloped from the bed, leaving the infant to the
paternal care of her pretended husband.

Immediate search was made for the mother of
the child, but in vain. And, as the song says,
"Single misfortunes ne'er come alone," to his great
consternation and grief, she had taken his horse,
and left the poor politician destitute of every thing
except a fine yellow hoy, but of a widely different
description from those which Benton put in cir-
culation.

By this time all the lodgers in the tavern had
got up and dressed themselves, from curiosity to
know the occasion of the disturbance. I descended
to the street in front of the inn. The stars were
faintly glimmering in the heavens, and the first
beams of the morning sun were struggling through

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. Ill

the dim clouds that skirted the eastern horizon. I
thought myself alone in the street, when the hush
of morning was suddenly broken by a clear, joyful,
and musical voice, which sang, as near as I could
catch it, the following scrap of a song : •

" O, what is the time of the merry round year
That is fittest and sweetest for love 1
Ere sucks the bee, ere buds the tree;
And primroses by two, by three.
Faintly shine in the path of the lonely deer,
Like the few stars of twilight above."

I turned towards the spot whence the sounds
proceeded, and discovered a tall figure leaning
against the sign post. His eyes were fixed on the
streaks of light in the east ; his mind was absorbed,
and he was clearly unconscious of any one being
near him. He continued his song in so full and
I clear a tone, that the street re-echoed —

" When the blackbird and thrush, at early dawn,
Prelude from leafy spray —
Amid dewy scents and blandishments.
Like a choir attuning their instruments,
Ere the curtain of nature aside be drawn
For the concert the livelong day."

I now drew nigh enough to see him distinctly.

[He was a young man, not more than twenty-two.

[His figure was light and graceful, at the same time

[that it indicated strength and activity. He was

dressed in a hunting shirt, which was made with

'^.

112 COLONEL CROCKETT S

uncommon neatness^ and ornamented tastily with
fringe. He held a highly finished rifle in his right
hand, and a hunting pouch, covered with Indian
ornaments, was slung across his shoulders. His
clean shirt collar was open, secured only by a black
riband around his neck. His boots were polished,
without a soil upon them ; and on his head was
a neat fur cap, tossed on in a m.anner which said,

*^'I don't care a d ~n," just as plainly as any cap

could speak it. I thought it must be some popin-
jay of a lark, until I took a look at his countenance.
It was handsome, bright, and manly. There was
no mistake in that face. From the eyes down to
his breast he was sunburnt as dark as mahogany,
while the upper part of his high forehead was as
white and polished as marble. Thick clusters of
black hair curled from under his cap. I passed
on, unperceived, and he continued his song :— -

" In the green spring-tide, all tender and bright,
When the sun sheds a kindlier gleam
O'er velvet bank, that sweet flowers prank,
That have fresh dews and sunbeams drank —
Softest, and most chaste, as enchanted light
In the visions of maiden's dream."

The poor politician, whose misfortunes had roused
up the inmates of the tavern at such an unusual
hour, now returned from the stable, where he had
been in search of his horse and his woman ; but

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 113

they were both among the missing. He held a
whip in his hand, and about a dozen men followed
him, some from curiosity to see the result of the
adventure, and others from better feelings. As he
drew nigh to the front of the tavern, chaiing with
mortification at both his shame and his loss, his
rage increasing to a flame as his windy exclama-
tions became louder and louder, he chanced to espy
the fantastic personage I have just described, still
leaning against the sign post, carelessly humming
his song, but in a lower tone, as he perceived he
was not alone.

The irritated politician no sooner saw the stran-
ger against the sign post, whose self satisfied air
was in striking contrast with the excited feelings
of the other, than he paused for a moment, appeared
to recognise him ; then coming up in a blustering
manner, and assuming a threatening attitude, he
exclaimed fiercely —

" You're an infernal scoundrel — do you hear ? an
infernal scoundrel, sir!"

" I do, but it's news to me," replied the other,
quietly.

" News, you scoundrel ! do you call it news ?"

" Entirely so."

" You needn't think to carry it ofi" so quietly. I
say, you're an infernal scoundrel, and I'll prove it."

10

*

?^.

114 COLONEL CROCKETT S

" I beg you will not ; I shouldn't like to be
proved a scoundrel/' replied the other, smiling
with most provoking indifference.

" No, I dare say you wouldn't. But answer me
directly — did you, or did you not say, in pre-
sence of certain ladies of my acquaintance, that I
was a mere "

" Calf ? — 0, no, sir ; the truth is not to be spoken
at all times."

" The truth ! Do you presume to call me a
calf, sir ?"

"0, no, sir; I call you nothing," replied

the stranger, just as cool and as pleasant as a morn-
ing in spring.

" It's well you do ; for if you had presumed to
call me "

" A man, I should have been grossly mistaken."

" Do you mean to say, I am not a man, sir ?"

" That depends on circumstances."

^'What circumstances?" demanded the other,
fiercely.

" If I should be called as an evidence in a court
of justice, I should be bound to speak the truth."

" And you would say, I was not a man, hey ? —
Do you see this cowskin ?"

" Yes ; and I have seen it with surprise ever
since you came up," replied the stranger, calmly,

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 115

at the same time handing me his rifle, to take
care of.

^^ With surprise!'' exclaimed the politician who
saw that his antagonist had voluntarily disarmed
himself; — "Why, did you suppose I was such a
coward, that I dare not use the article when I
thought it was demanded ?"

" Shall I tell you what I thought ?"

^' Do — if you dare."

" I thought to myself, what use has a calf for a
cowskin ?" He turned to me, and said, " I had
forgot, Colonel- — ^^shall I trouble you to take care
of this also?" Saying which he drew a long
hunting knife from his belt, and placed it in my
hand. He then resumed his careless attitude against
the sign post.

^' You distinctly call me a calf, then ?"

^' If you insist upon it, you may."

" You hear, gentlemen," said he, speaking to the
bystanders — "Do you hear the insult? — What
shall I do with the scoundrel ?"

"Dress him, dress him!" exclaimed twenty-
voices, with shouts and laughter.

"That ril do at once !" Then turning to the
stranger, he cried out fiercely, "Come one step
this way, you rascal, and PU flog you within an
inch of your life."

116 COLONEL Crockett's

"I've no occasion."

" You're a coward."

" Not on your word."

" I'll prove it by flogging you out of your
skin."

" I doubt it."

" I am a liar then — am I ?"

" Just as you please."

" Do you hear that, gentlemen ?"

" Ay, we hear," was the unanimous response.
" You can't avoid dressing him now."

" 0, heavens ! grant me patience ! I shall fly
out of my skin."

" It will be so much the better for your pocket ;
calf skins are in good demand."

" I shall burst."

" Not here in the street, I beg of you. It would
be disgusting."

" Gentlemen, can I any longer avoid flogging
him ?"

" Not if you are able," was the reply. " Go
at him."

Thus provoked, thus stirred up, and enraged, the
fierce politician went like lightning at his provok-
ing antagonist. But before he could strike a blow
he found himself disarmed of his cowskin, and
lying on his back under the spout of a neighbour-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. ' 117

ing pump, whither the young man had carried him
to cool his rage ; and before he could recover from
his astonishment at such unexpected handling, he
was as wet as a thrice drowned rat, from the cata-
racts of water which his laughing antagonist had
liberally pumped upon him. His courage, by this
time, had fairly oozed out; and he declared, as he
arose and w^ent dripping away from the pump, that
he would never again trust to quiet appearances ;
and that the devil himself might, the next timej
undertake to cow^skin such a cucumber blooded
scoundrel for him. The bystanders laughed hear-
tily. The politician now went in pursuit of his
horse and his woman, taking his yellow boy with
him ; and the landlady declared that he richly de-
served what he had got, even if he had been guilty
of no other offence than the dirty imposition he
had practised on her.

The stranger now came to me, and calling me
by name, asked for his rifle and knife, which I re-
turned to him. I expressed some astonishment at
being known to him, and he said that he had heard
of my being in the village, and had sought me out
for the purpose of accompanying me to Texas. He
told, me that he was a bee hunter ; that he had
travelled pretty much over that country in the
way of his business, and that I would find him of

118 COLONEL Crockett's

considerable use in navigating through the ocean
of prairies.

He told me that honey trees are abundant in
Texas, and that honey of an excellent quality, and
in any quantity, may be obtained from them.
There are persons who have a peculiar tact in
coursing the bee, and thus discovering their de-
posites of the luscious food. This employment is
not a mere pastime, but is profitable. The wax
alone, thus obtained, is a valuable article of com-
merce in Mexico, and commands a high price. It
is much used in churches, where some of the can-
dles made use of are as long as a man's arm. It
often happens that the hunters throw away the
honey, and save only the wax.

" It is a curious fact," said the bee hunter, " in
the natural history of the bee, that it is never found
in a wild country, but always precedes civilization,
forming a kin4 of advance guard between the white
man and the savage. The Indians, at least, are
perfectly convinced of this fact, for it is a common
remark among them, when they observe these
insects — ^ there come the white men.' "

Thimblerig came up, and the bee hunter spoke
to him, calling him by name, for he had met with
him in New Orleans. I told him that the conjurer
had determined to accompany me also, at which

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 119

he seemed well pleased, and encouraged the poor
fellow to adhere to that resolution ; for he would
be a man among men in Texas, and no one would
be very particular in inquiring about his fortunes
in the states. If once there, he might boldly stand
up and feed out of the same rack with the best.

I asked him what was his cause of quarrel with
the politician, and he told me that he had met him
a few weeks before down at Baton Rouge, where
the fellow was going the big figure ; and that he
had exposed him to some ladies, which completely
cut his comb, and he took wing ; that this was the
first time they had met since, and being determined
to have his revenge, he had attacked him without
first calculating consequences.

With the assistance of our new friend, who was
a generous, pleasant fellow, we procured a horse
and rifle for Thimblerig ; and we started for Nacog-
doches, which is about one hundred and twenty
miles west of Natchitoches, under the guidance of
the bee hunter.

129 COLONEL Crockett"®

4

CHAPTER IX,

Our route, which lay along what is called the
old Spanish road, I found to be much better defined
©n the map, than upon the face of the country.
We had, in many instances, no other guide to the
path than the blazes on the trees. The bee hunter
was a cheerful communicative companion, and by
his pleasant conversation rendered our journey any
thing but fatiguing. He knew all about the coun-
try ; had undergone a variety of adventure, and
described what he had witnessed with such fresh-
ness, and so graphically, that if I could only re-
member one-half he told me about the droves of
wild horses, buffalo, various birds, beautiful scenery
of the wide spreading and fertile prairies, and his
adventures with the roving tribes of Indians, I
should fill my book, I am sure, much more agree-
ably than I shall be able to do on my own hook.
When he^d get tired of talking, he'd commence
singing, and his list of songs seemed to be as long
as a rainy Sunday. He had a fine clear voice, and
though I have heard the Woods sing at the Park

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 121

Theatre, In New York, I must give the Bee hunter
the preference over all I have ever heard, except
my friend Jim Crow, who, it must be allowed, is a
real steamboat at the business, and goes a leetle
ahead of any thing that will come after him.

He gave me, among other matters, the following
account of a rencounter between one of the early
settlers and the Indians : —

"Andrew Tumlinson," said he, "belonged to a
family which the colonists of De Witt will long
remember as one of their chief stays in the dangers
of settling those wilds, trod only by the children
of the forest. This indefatigable champion of re-
venge for his father's death, who had fallen some
years before by Indian treachery, had vowed never
to rest until he had received satisfaction. In order
the better to accomplish his end, he was one of the
foremost, if possible, in every skirmish with the
Indians; and that he might be enabled to do so with-
out restraint, he placed his wife under the care of
his brother-in-law, shouldered his rifle, and headed
a ranging party, who were resolved to secure peace
to those who followed them, though purchased by
their own death.

" He had been frequently victorious, In the most

desperate fights, where the odds were greatly

against him, and at last fell a victim to his own

11

122 COLONEL Crockett's

imprudence. A Caddo had been seized as a spy,
and threatened with death, in order to compel him
to deliver up his knife. The fellow never moved
a muscle, or even winked, as he beheld the rifles
pointed at him. He had been found lurking in the
yard attached to the house of a solitary and unpro-
tected family, and he knew that the whites were
exasperated at his tribe for injuries that they had
committed. When discovered he was accompanied
by his little son.

" Tumlinson spoke to him in Spanish, to learn
what had brought him there at such a time, but
instead of giving any satisfaction, he sprung to his
feet, from the log where he was seated, at the same
time seizing his rifle which was lying beside him.
The owner of the house, with whom the Indian
had been on a friendly footing, expostulated with
him, and got him to surrender the gun, telling him
that the whites only wished to be satisfied of his
friendly intentions, and had no desire to injure
one who might be useful in conciliating his red
brethren.

" He appeared to acquiesce, and wrapping his
blanket more closely around his body, moved on
in silence ahead of the whites. Tumlinson ap-
proached him, and though the rest of the party
privately cautioned him not to go too nigh, as they

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 123

believed the Indian had a knife under his blanket,
he disregarded the warning, tiTisting for safety to
his rifle and dexterity.

" He continued to interrogate the captive until
he awakened his suspicions that his life was not
safe. The Indian returned no answer but a short
caustic laugh at the end of every question. Tum-
linson at length beheld his countenance become
more savage, which was followed by a sudden
movement of the right hand beneath his blanket.
He fired, and the next instant the Caddo's knife
was in his heart, for the savage sprung with the
quickness of the wild cat upon his prey. The
rifle ball had passed through the Indian's body, yet
his victim appeared to be no more in his grasp
than a sparrow in the talons of an eagle, for he was
a man of gigantic frame, and he knew that not only
his own life, but that of his little son, would be
taken on the spot. He called to the boy to fly,
while he continued to plunge his knife into the
bosom of his prostrate victim. The rest of the
party levelled their rifles, and the victor shouted,
with an air of triumph, — ' Do your worst. I have
sacrificed another pale face to the spirits of my
fathers.' They fired, and he fell dead across the body
of the unfortunate Tumlinson. The poor boy fell
also. He had sprung forward some distance, when

124 COLONEL Crockett's

his father was shot^ and was running in a zig-zag
manner, taught them in their youth, to avoid the
balls of their enemies, by rendering it difficult for
the best marksman to draw a sight upon them."

In order to afford me some idea of the state of
society in the more thickly settled parts of Texas,
the Bee hunter told me that he had set down to
the breakfast table, one morning at an inn, at San
Felipe, and among the small party around the
board were eleven who had fled from the states
charged with having committed murder. So ac-
customed are the inhabitants to the appearance of
fugitives from justice that they are particularly
careful to make inquiries of the characters of new-
comers, and generally obtain early and circumstan-
tial information concerning strangers. "Indeed,'*
said he, " it is very common to hear the inquiry
made, * What did he do that made him leave home ?*
or, 'What have you come to Texas for?' intimating
almost an assurance of one's being a criminal. Not-
withstanding this state of things, however, the good
of the public, and of each individual, is so evidently
dependent on the public morals, that all appear
ready to discountenance and punish crime. Even
men who have been expatriated by fear of justice,
are here among the last who would be disposed to
shield a culprit guilty of a crime against life o?

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 125

property." Thimblerig was delighted at this fa-
vourable account of the state of society, and said
that it would be the very place for him to flourish
in ; he liked their liberal way of thinking, for it
did not at all tally with his ideas of natural law,
that a man who happened to give offence to the
straight laced rules of action established by a set
of people contracted in their notions, should be
hunted out of all society, even though w^illing to
conform to their regulations. He was lawyer
enough, he said, to know that every offence should
be tried on the spot where it was committed ; and
if he had stolen the pennies from his grandmother's
eyes in Louisiana, the people in Texas would have
nothing to do with that affair, nohow they could
fix it. The dejected conjurer pricked up his ears,
and from that moment was as gay and cheerful as
a blue bird in spring.

As we approached Nacogdoches, the first object
that struck our vievr was a flag flying at the top of
a high liberty pole. Drums were beating, and fifes
playing, giving an indication, not to be misunder-
stood, of the spirit that had been awakened in a
comparative desert. The people of the town no
sooner saw us than many came out to meet us.
The Bee hunter, who was known to them, intro-
duced me ; and it seems that they had already re-

11*

126 COLONEL Crockett's

ceived the news of my intended visit, and its object,
and I met with a cordial and friendly reception.

Nacogdoches is the capitol of the department of
that name, and is situated about sixty miles west
of the river Sabine, in a romantic dell, surrounded
by woody bluffs of considerable eminence, within
whose inner borders, in a semicircle embracing the
town, flow the two forks of the Nana, a branch of
the Naches. It is a flourishing town, containing
about one thousand actual citizens, although it
generally presents twice that number on account
of its extensive inland trade, one-half of which is
supported by the friendly Indians. The healthiness
of this town yields to none in the province, except
Bexar, and to none whatsoever south of the same
latitude, between the Sabine and the Mississippi.
There was a fort established here, by the French,
as far back as the year 1717, in order to overawe
the wandering tribes of red men, between their
borders and the colonists of Great Britain. The
soil around it is of an easy nature and well adapted
to cultivation.

I passed the day at Nacogdoches in getting in-
formation from the principal patriots as to the
grievances imposed upon them by the Mexican
government ; and I passed the time very pleasantly,
but I rather reckon not quite as much so as my

ADVENTURES iN TEXAS. 127

friend the Bee hunter. In the evening, as I had
missed him for several hours while I was attending
to the affairs of the patriots, I inquired for my
companion, and was directed, by the landlord, to
an apartment appropriated to his family, and ac-
cordingly I pushed ahead. Before I reached the
door, I heard the joyous and musical voice of the
young rover singing as usual.

" I'd like to have a little farm,

And leave such scenes as these,
Where I could live, without a care,

Completely at my ease.
I'd like to have a pleasant house

Upon my little farm,
Airy and cool in summer time

In winter close and warm."

" And is there nothing else you'd like to have
to make you happy, Edward?" demanded a gentle
voice, w^hich sounded even more musical in my
ear than that of the Bee hunter.

" Yes, in good faith there is, my gentle Kate ;
and I'll tell you what it is," he exclaimed, and
resumed his song : —

" I'd like to have a little wife —

I reckon I know who, ;
I'd like to have a little son —

A little daughter too ;
And when they'd climb upon my knee,

I'd like a little toy
To give my pretty little girl,

Another for my boy."

128 COLONEL Crockett's

" 0, fie, for shame of you to talk so, Edward!''
exclaimed the same gentle voice.

" Well, my pretty Kate, if you'll only listen,
now, I'll tell you what I wouldn't like."

^^ Let me hear that, by all means."

" 1 should not like my wife to shake

A broomstick at my head —
For then I migrht beo^in to think

She did not love her Ned ;
But I should always like to see

Her gentle as a dove ;
I should not like to have her scold —

But be all joy and love."

" And there is not much danger, Edward, of her
ever being otherwise."

" Bless your sweet lips, that I am certain of,"
exclaimed the Bee hunter, and I heard something
that sounded marvellously like a kiss. But he
resumed his song : —

" If I had these I would not ask

For any thing beside ;
I'd be content thus smoothly through

The tedious world to glide.
My little wife and I would then

No earthly troubles see —
Surrounded iby our little ones,

How happy we would be."

I have always endeavoured to act up to the
golden rule of doing as I would be done by, and as
I never liked to be interrupted on such occasions,

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 129

I returned to the bar-room, where I found Thim-
blerig seated on a table practising with his thimbles,
his large white Vicksburg hat stuck in a most in-
dependent and impudent manner on the side of his
head. About half a dozen men were lookins: on
with amazement at his skill, but he got no bets.
When he caught my eye his countenance became
sort of confused, and he hastily thrust the thimbles

^ into his pocket, saying, as he jumped from the table,
"Just amusing myself a little, Colonel, to kill time,
and show the natives that some things can be done
as well as others. — Let us take an ideer." So we
walked up to the bar, took a nip, and let the matter
drop.

p My horse had become lame, and I found I would
not be able to proceed with him, so I concluded to
sell him and get another. A gentleman offered to
give me a mustang in exchange, and I gladly
accepted of his kindness. The mustangs are the
wild horses, that are to be seen in droves of
thousands pasturing on the prairies. They are
taken by means of a lazo, a long rope with a noose,
which is thrown around their neck, and they are
dragged to the ground with violence, and then
secured. These horses, which are considerably
smaller than those in the states, are very cheap,
and are in such numbers, that in times of scarcity

130 COLONEL Crockett's

of game the settlers and the Indians have made use
of them as food. Thousands have been destroyed
for this purpose.

I saw nothing of the Bee hunter until bed-time,
and then I said nothing to him about what I had
overheard. The next morning, as we were pre-
paring for an early start, I went into the private
apartment where my companion was, but he did
not appear quite as cheerful as usual. Shortly
afterward a young woman, about eighteen, entered
the room. She was as healthy and blooming as
the wild flowers of the prairie. My companion
introduced me, she courtesied modestly, and turning
to the Bee hunter, said, "Edward, I have made
you a new deer skin sack since you were last here.
Will you take it with you ? Your old one is so
soiled."

" No, no, dear Kate, I shall not have leisure to
gather wax this time."

" I have not yet shown you the fine large gourd
that I have slung for you. It will hold near a
gallon of water." She went to a closet, and pro-
ducing it, suspended it around his shoulders.

"My own kind Kate!" he exclaimed, and
looked as if he would devour her with his
eyes.

" Have I forgotten any thing ? — Ah ! yes, your

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 131

books." She ran to the closet, and brought out
two small volumes.

"One is sufficient this time, Kate — my Bible.
I will leave the poet with you." She placed it in
his hunting bag, saying,

" You will find here some biscuit and deer
sinews, in case you should get bewildered in the
prairies. You know you lost your way the last
time, and were nearly famished."

"Kind and considerate Kate."
y. I began to find out that I was a sort of fifth
wheel to a w^agon, so I went to the front of the
tavern to see about starting. There was a con-
siderable crowd there, and I made them a short
address on the occasion. I told them, among other
things, that " I will die with my Betsey in my
arms. No, I will not die — 1^11 grin down the
walls of the Alamo, and the Americans will lick
up the Mexicans like fine salt."

I mounted my little mustang, and my legs nearly
cached the ground. The thimble conjurer was
"also ready ; at length the Bee hunter made his ap-
pearance, followed by his sweetheart, whose eyes
looked as though she had been weeping. He took a
cordial leave of all his friends, for he appeared to
be a general favourite ; he then approached Kate,

132 COLONEL Crockett's

kissed her, and leaped upon his horse. He tried
to conceal his emotion by singing, carelessly,

" Saddled and bridled, and booted rode he,
A plume in his helmet, a sword at his knee."

The tremulous and plaintive voice of Kate took
up the next two lines of the song, which sounded
like a prophecy :

" But toom cam' the saddle, all bluidy to see.
And hame cam' the steed, but hame never cam' he."

We started off rapidly, and left Nacogdoches
amid the cheering of true patriots and kind friends.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 133

CHAPTER X.

An hour or two elapsed before the Bee hunter
recovered his usual spirits, after parting from his
kind little Kate of Nacogdoches. The conjurer
rallied him good humouredly, and had become
quite a different man from what he was on the
west side of the Sabine. He sat erect in his saddle,
. stuck his large white Vicksburger conceitedly on
his bushy head, carried his rifle with as much ease
and grace as if he had been used to the weapon,
and altogether he assumed an air of impudence and
independence which showed that he had now a soul
above thimbles. The Bee hunter at length recover-
ed his spirits, and commenced talking very plea-
santly, for the matters he related were for the most
part new to me.

My companions, by way of beguiling the tedious-

ness of our journey, repeatedly played tricks upon

each other, which were taken in good part. One

of them I will relate. We had observed that the

Bee hunter always disappeared on stopping at a

house, running in to talk with the inhabitants and

12

1S4 COLONEL Crockett's

ingratiate himself with the women, leaving us to
take care of the horses. On reaching our stopping
place at night he left us as usual, and while we
were rubbing down our mustangs, and hobbling
them, a negro boy came out of the house with or-
ders from our companion within to see to his horse,
Thimblerig, who possessed a good share of roguish
ingenuity, after some inquiries about the gentleman
in the house, how he looked and what he was doing,
told the boy, in rather a low voice, that he had
better not come nearer to him than was necessary,
for it was possible he might hurt him, though still
he didn't think he would. The boy asked why
he need be afraid of him. He replied, he did not
certainly know that there was any reason — he
hoped there was none — but the man had been
bitten by a mad dog, and it was rather uncertain
whether he was not growing mad himself. Still,
he would not alarm the boy, but cautioned him not
to be afraid, for there might be no danger, though
there was something rather strange in the conduct
of his poor friend. This was enough for the boy ;
he was almost afraid to touch the horse of such a
man ; and when, a moment afterward, our com-
panion came out of the house, he slunk away
behind the horse, and though he was in a great
hurry to get him unsaddled, kept his eyes fixed

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 135

steadily on the owner, closely watching his mo-
tions.

" Take off that bridle/' exclaimed the impatient
Bee hunter, in a stern voice : and the black boy
sprung off, and darted away as fast as his feet could
carry him, much to the vexation and surprise of
our companion, who ran after him a little distance,
but could in no way account for his singular and
provoking conduct. When we entered the house
things appeared a great deal more strange ; for the
negro had rushed hastily into the midst of the
family, and in his terrified state communicated the
alarming tale, that the gentleman had been bitten
by a mad dog. He, unconscious all the time of the
trick that was playing off, endeavoured, as usual, to
render himself as agreeable as possible, especially
to the females with whom he had already formed
a partial acquaintance. We could see that they
looked on him with apprehension, and retreated
whenever he approached them. One of them took
an opportunity to inquire of Thimblerig the truth
of the charge ; and his answer confirmed their
fears, and redoubled their caution ; though, after
confessing with apparent candour, that his friend
had been bitten, he stated that there was no certainty
of evil consequences, and it was a thing which
of course could not be mentioned to the sufferer. .

136 COLONEL Crockett's

«

As bed time approached the mistress of the

house expressed her fears, lest trouble should arise
in the night ; for the house, according to custom,
contained but two rooms, and was not built for
security. She therefore urged us to sleep between
him and the door, and by no means to let him pass
us. It so happened, however, that he chose to
sleep next the door, and it was with great difficulty
that we could keep their fears within bounds. The
ill-disguised alarm of the whole family was not less
a source of merriment to him who had been the
cause, than of surprise and wonder to the subject
of it. Whatever member of the household he ap-
proached promptly withdrew, and as for the negro,
whenever he was spoken to by him, he would
jump and roll his eyes. In the morning, when
we were about to depart, we commissioned our
belied companion to pay our bill ; but as he ap-
proached the hostess she fled from him, and shut
the door in his face. " I want to pay our bill,"
said he. " 0 ! if you will only leave the house,"
cried she, in terror, ^^you are welcome to your
lodging."

The jest, however, did not end here. The Bee
hunter found out the trick that had been played
upon him, and determined to retaliate. As we were
about mounting, the conjurer's big white Vicks-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 137

burger was unaccountably missing, and nowhere
to be found. He was not altogether pleased with
* the liberty that had been taken with him, and after
searching some time in vain, he tied a handkerchief
around his head, sprung upon his horse, and rode
off with more gravity than usual. We had rode
about two miles, the Bee hunter bantering the
other with a story of his hat lying in pawn at the
house we had left, and urged upon him to return
and redeem it ; but finding Thimblerig out of hu-
mour, and resolved not to return, he began to
repent of his jest, and offered to go back and bring
it, on condition that the past should be forgotten,
and there should be no more retaliation. The
other consented to the terms, so lighting a cigar
with his sun glass, he set off at a rapid rate on his
return. He had not been gone long before I pre-
sented Thimblerig with his hat, for I had seen the
Bee hunter conceal it, and had secretly brought it
along with me. It was some time before our ab ■
sent friend overtook us, having frightened all the
family away by his sudden return, and searched the
whole house without success. When he perceived
the object of his ride upon the head of the conjurer,
rand recollected the promise by which he had bound
himself not to have any more jesting, he could

only exclaim, "Well, it's hard, but it's fair." We

12*

138 COLONEL Crockett's

all laughed heartily, and good humour was once
again restored.

Cane brakes are common in some parts of Texas*
Our way led us through one of considerable extent.
The frequent passage of men and horses had kept
open a narrow path not wide enough for two mus-
tangs to pass with convenience. The reeds, the
same as are used in the northern states as fishing
rods, had grown to the height of about twenty feet,
and were so slender, that having no support directly
over the path, they drooped a little inward, and in-
termingled their tops, forming a complete covering
overhead. We rode about a quarter of a mile along
this singular arched avenue with the view of the
sky completely shut out. The Bee hunter told
me that the largest brake is that which lines the
banks of Caney Creek, and is seventy miles in
length, with scarcely a tree to be seen the whole
distance. The reeds are eaten by cattle and horses
in the winter when the prairies yield little or no
other food.

When we came out of the brake we saw three
black wolves jogging like dogs ahead of us, but at
too great a distance to reach them with a rifle.
Wild turkeys and deer repeatedly crossed our path,
and we saw several droves of wild horses pasturing
in the prairies. These sights awakened the ruling

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 139

passion strong within me, and I longed to have a
hunt upon a large scale ; for though I had killed
many bears and deers in my time, I had never
brought down a buffalo in all my life, and so I told
my friends ; but they tried to dissuade me from it,
by telling me that I would certainly lose my way,
and perhaps perish ; for though it appeared as a
cultivated garden to the eye, it was still a wilder-
ness. I said little more on the subject until we
crossed the Trinidad river, but every mile we
travelled I found the temptation grow stronger and
stronger.

The night after we crossed the river we fortu-
nately found shelter in the house of a poor woman,
who had little but the barest necessaries to offer us.
While we were securing our horses for the night
we beheld two men approaching the house on foot.
They were both armed with rifles and hunting
knives, and though I have been accustomed to the
sight of men who have not stepped far over the
line of civilization, I must say these were just about
the roughest samples I had seen anywhere. One
was a man of about fifty years old, tall and raw-
boned. He was dressed in a sailor's round jacket,
with a tarpaulin on his head. His whiskers nearly
covered his face ; his hair was coal black and long,
and there was a deep scar across his forehead, and

140 COLONEL Crockett's

another on the back of his right hand. His com-
panion, who was considerably younger, was bare-
headed, and clad in a deer skin dress made after
our fashion. Though he was not much darker
than the old man, I perceived that he was an Indian.
They spoke friendly to the Bee hunter, for they
both knew him, and said they were on their way
to join the Texian forces, at that time near the San
Antonio river. Though they had started without
horses, they reckoned they would come across a
couple before they went much farther. The right
of ownership to horse flesh is not much regarded
in Texas, for those that have been taken from the
wild droves are soon after turned out to graze on
the prairies, the owner having first branded them
wdth his mark, and hobbled them by tying their
fore feet together, which will enable another to
capture them just as readily as himself.

The old woman set about preparing our supper,
and apologized for the homely fare, which consisted
of bacon and fried onions, when the Indian went
to a bag and produced a number of eggs of wild
fowls, and a brace of fat rabbits, which were
speedily dressed, and we made as good a meal as a
hungry man need wish to set down to. The old
man spoke very little ; but the Indian, who had
lived much among the whites, was talkative, and

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 141

manifested much impatience to arrive at the army.
The first opportunity that occurred I inquired of
the Bee hunter who our new friends were, and he
told me that the old man had been for many years
a pirate with the famous Lafitte, and that the
Indian was a hunter belonging to a settler near
Galveston Bay. I had seen enough of land rats
at Washington, but this v/as the first time that I
was ever in company with a water rat to my
knowledge ; however, baiting that black spot on
his escutcheon, he was a well behaved and inoffen-
sive man. Vice does not appear so shocking when
we are familiar with the perpetrator of it.

Thimblerig was for taking airs upon himself
after learning who our companions were, and pro-
tested to me, that he would not sit down at the
same table with a man who had outraged the laws
in such a manner ; for it was due to society that
honest men should discountenance such unprinci-
pled characters, and much more to the same effect;
when the old man speedily dissipated the gambler's
indignant feelings by calmly saying, " Stranger,
you had better take a seat at the table, I think,"
at the same time drawing a long hunting knife
from his belt, and laying it on the table. " I think
you had better take some supper with us,'' he
added, in a mild tone, but fixing his eye sternly

142 COLONEL Crockett's

upon Thimblerig. The conjurer first eyed the knife,
and then the fierce whiskers of the pirate, and,
unlike some politicians, he wasn't long in making
up his mind what course to pursue, but he deter-
mined to vote as the pirate voted, and said, "I
second that motion, stranger," at the same time
seating himself on the bench beside me. The old
man then commenced cutting up the meat, for
which purpose he had drawn his hunting knife,
though the gambler had thought it was for a difier-
ent purpose ; and being relieved from his fears,
every thing passed ofi" quite sociable.

Early the following morning we compensated
the old woman for the trouble she had been at,
and we mounted our horses and pursued our jour-
ney, our new friends following on foot, but pro-
mising to arrive at the Alamo as soon as we should.
About noon we stopped to refresh our horses be-
neath a cluster of trees that stood in the open prai-
rie, and I again spoke of my longing for a bufTalo
hunt. We were all seated on the grass, and they
strived hard to dissuade me from the folly of allow-
ing a ruling passion to lead me into such imminent
danger and difficulty as I must necessarily encoun-
ter. All this time, while they were running down
my weakness, as they called it, Thimblerig was
amusing himself with his eternal thimbles and pea

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 143

upon the crown of his big white hat. I could not
refrain from laughing outright to see with what
gravity and apparent interest he slipped the pea
from one thimble to another while in the midst of
a desert. Man is a queer animal, and Colonel Dick
Johnson is disposed to make him even queerer
than Dame Nature originally intended.

The Bee hunter told me, that if I was determined
to leave them, he had in his bag a paper of ground
coffee, and biscuit, which little Kate of Nacog-
doches had desired him to carry for my use, which
he handed to me, and proposed drinking her health,
saying that she was one of the kindest and purest
of God's creatures. We drank her health, and
wished him all happiness when she should be his
own, which time he looked forward to with impa-
tience. He still continued to dissuade me from
leaving them, and all the time he was talking his
eyes were wandering above, when suddenly he
stopped, sprang to his feet, looked around for a
moment, then leaped on his mustang, and without
saying a word, started off like mad, and scoured
along the prairie. We watched him, gradually
diminishing in size, until he seemed no larger than
a rat, and finally disappeared in the distance. I
was amazed, and thought to be sure the man was
crazy ; and Thimblerig, w^ho continued his game,

144 COLONEL Crockett's

responded that he was unquestionably out of his
head.

Shortly after the Bee hunter had disappeared we
heard a noise something like the rumbling of dis-
tant thunder. The sky was clear, there were no
signs of a storm, and we concluded it could not
proceed from that cause. On turning to the west
we saw an immense cloud of dust in the distance,
but could perceive no object distinctly, and still
the roaring continued. " What can all this mean ?"
said I. " Burn my old shoes if I know," said the
conjurer, gathering up his thimbles, and at the
same time cocking his large Vicksburger fiercely
on his head. We continued looking in the direc-
tion whence the sound proceeded, the cloud of dust
became thicker and thicker, and the roaring more
distinct — much louder than was ever heard in the
White House at Washington.

We at first imagined that it was a tornado, but
whatever it was, it was coming directly toward
the spot where we stood. Our mustangs had ceased
to graze, and cocked up their ears in evident alarm.
We ran and caught them, took ofi^ the hobbles, and
rode into the grove of trees ; still the noise grev/
louder and louder. We had scarcely got under
the shelter of the grove before the object ap-
proached near enough for us to ascertain what it

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 145

was. It was a herd of buffalo, at least four or five
hundred in number, dashing along as swift as the
wind, and roaring as if so many devils had broke
loose. They passed near the grove, and, if we had
not taken shelter there, we should have been in
great danger of being trampled to death. My poor
little mustang shook worse than a politician about
to be turned out of office, as the drove came sweep-
ing by. At their head, apart from the rest, was a
black bull, who appeared to be their leader ; he
came roaring along, his tail straight an end, and
at times tossing up the earth with his horns.
I never felt such a desire to have a crack at any
thing in all my life. He drew nigh the place
where I was standing; I raised my beautiful Betsey
to my shoulder, took deliberate aim, blazed away,
and he roared, and suddenly stopped. Those that
w^ere near him did so likewise, and the concussion
occasioned by the impetus of those in the rear was
such, that it was a miracle that some of them did
not break their legs or necks. The black bull
stood for a few moments pawing the ground after
he was shot, then darted off around the cluster of
trees, and made for the uplands of the prairies.
The whole herd followed, sweeping by like a tor-
nado, and I do say, I never witnessed a more beau-
tiful sight to the eye of a hunter in all my life.

13

146 COLONEL Crockett's

Bear hunting is no more to be compared to it than
Colonel Benton is to Henry Clay. I watched them
for a few moments, then clapped spurs to my mus-
tang and followed in their wake, leaving Thimble-
rig behind me.

I followed on the trail of the herd for at least
two hours, by which time the moving mass ap-
peared like a small cloud in the distant horizon.
Still, I followed, my whole mind absorbed by the
excitement of the chase, until the object was en-
tirely lost in the distance. I now paused to allow
my m^ustang to breathe, who did not altogether
fancy the rapidity of my movements, and to con-
sider w^hich course I would have to take to regain
the path I had abandoned. I might have retraced
my steps by following the trail of the buffalos, but
it has always been my principle to go ahead, and
so I turned to the west and pushed forward.

I had not rode more than an hour before I found
that I was as completely bewildered as " the Go-
vernment" was when he entered upon an examina-
tion of the Post office accounts. I looked around,
and there was, as far as the eye could reach, spread
before me a country apparently in the highest state
of cultivation. Extended fields, beautiful and pro-
ductive, groves of trees cleared from the under-
wood, and whose margins were as regular as if the

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 147

art and taste of man had been employed upon them.
But there was no other evidence that the sound of
the axe, or the voice of man, had ever here dis-
turbed the solitude of nature. My eyes would
have cheated my senses into the belief that I was
in an earthly paradise, but my fears told me that I
was in a wilderness.

I pushed along, following the sun, for I had no
compass to guide me, and there was no other path
than that which my mustang made. Indeed, if I
had found a beaten track, I should have been almost
afraid to have followed it ; for my friend the Bee

P hunter had told me, that once, when he had been
lost in the prairies, he had accidentally struck into

H his own path, and had travelled around and around
for a whole day before he discovered his error.
This I thought was a poor way of going ahead; so
I determined to make for the first large stream, and
follow its course.

I had travelled several hours without seeing the
trace of a human being, and even game was almost
as scarce as Benton's mint drops, except just about
election time, and I began to wish that I had fol-
lowed the advice of my companions. I was a good
deal bothered to account for the abrupt manner in
which the Bee hunter had absconded ; and I felt
concerned for the poor thimble conjurer^ who was

148 COLONEL Crockett's

left alone, and altogether unaccustomed to the diffi-
culties that he would have to encounter. While
my mind was occupied with these unpleasant re-
flections,! was suddenly startled by another novelty
quite as great as that I have just described.

I had just emerged from a beautiful grove of
trees, and was entering upon an extended prairie,
which looked like the luxuriant meadows of a
thrifty farmer ; and as if nothing should be wanting
to complete the delusion, but a short distance be-
fore me, there was a drove of about one hundred
beautiful horses quietly pasturing. It required some
eflfort to convince my mind that man had no agency
in this. But when I looked around, and fully rea-
lized it all, I thought of him who had preached to
me in the wilds of the Arkansas, and involuntarily
exclaimed, "God, what hast thou not done for man,
and yet how little he does for thee ! Not even
repays thee with gratitude !"

I entered upon the prairie. The mustangs no
sooner espied me than they raised their heads,
whinnied, and began coursing around me in an
extended circle, which gradually became smaller
and smaller, until they closely surrounded me.
My little rascally mustang enjoyed the sport, and
felt disposed to renew his acquaintance with his
wild companions; first turning his head to one,

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 149

then to another, playfully biting the neck of this
one, rubbing noses Vv^ith that one, and kicking up
his heels at a third. I began to feel rather uncom-
fortable, and plied the spur pretty briskly to get
out of the mess, but he was as obstinate as the
" old Roman" himself, who will be neither led nor
driven. I kicked, and he kicked, but fortunately
he became tired first, and he made one start, intend-
ing to escape from the annoyance if possible. As
I had an annoyance to escape from likew^ise, I beat
the devil's tattoo on his ribs, that he might have
some music to dance to, and we went ahead right
merrily, the whole drove following in our wake,
head up, and tail and mane streaming. My little
critter, who was both blood and bottom, seemed
delighted at being at the head of the heap ; and
having once got fairly started, I wish I may be
shot if I did not find it impossible to stop him.
He kept along, tossing his head proudly, and occa-
sionally neighing, as much as to say, " Come on,
my hearties, you see I ha'n't forgot our old amuse-
ment yef And they did come on with a venge-
ance, clatter, clatter, clatter, as if so many fiends
had broke loose. The prairie lay extended before
me as far as the eye could reach, and I began to
think that there would be no end to the race.

My little animal was full of fire and mettle, and

13^

150 THE LIFE OF

best. The old gentleman set out his bottle to
us, and I concluded that if a horn wasn't good
then, there was no use for its invention. So I
swig'd off about a half pint, and the young man
was by no means bashful in such a case ; he took
a strong pull at it too. I then gave my boy some,
and in a little time we felt pretty well. We dried
ourselves by the fire, and were asked to go on
board of the boat that evening. I agreed to do
so, but left my son with the old lady, and my-
self and my young man went to the boat with
Mr. Owens and the others. The boat was load-
ed with whiskey, flour, sugar, coffee, salt, cast-
ings, and other articles suitable for the country ;
and they were to receive five hundred dollars to
land the load at M^Lemore's Bluff, beside the
profit they could make on their load. This was
merely to show that boats could get up to that
point We staid all night with them, and had a
high night of it, as I took steam enough to drive
out all the cold that was in me, and about three
times as much more. In the morning we con-
cluded to go on with the boat to where a great
harricane had crossed the river, and blowed all
the timber down into it. When we got there,
we found the river was falling fast, and con-
cluded we couldn't get through the timber with-

DAVID CROCKETT 15|

out more rise ; so we drop'd clown opposite Mr.
Owens' again, where they determined to wait for
more water.

The next day it rained rip-roriously, and the
river rose pretty considerable, but not enough yet.
And so I got the boatsmen all to go out with me to
where I was going to settle, and we slap'd up a
cabin in little or no time. I got from the boat
four barrels of meal, and one of salt, and about ten
gallons of whiskey.

To pay for these, I agreed to go with the boat
up the river to their landing place. I got also a
large middling of bacon, and killed a fine deer,
and left them for my young man and my little
boy, who were to stay at my cabin till I got back;
which I expected would be in six or seven days.
We cut out, and moved up to the harricane, where
we stop'd for the night. In the morning I started
about daylight, intending to kill a deer, as I had
no thought they would get the boat through the
timber that day. I had gone but a little way be-
fore I killed a fine buck, and started to go back to
the boat ; but on the way I came on the tracks of a
large gang of elks, and so I took after them. I had
followed them only a little distance when I saw
them, and directly after I saw two large bucks. I
shot one down, and the other wouldn't leave him ;

152 COLONEL Crockett's

CHAPTER XI.

After toiling for more than an hour to get my
mustang upon his feet again, I gave it up as a
bad job, as little Van did when he attempted to
raise himself to the moon by the waistband of his
breeches. Night was fast closing in, and as I
began to think that I had had just about sport
enough for one day, I might as well look around
for a place of shelter for the night, and take a fresh
start in the morning, by which time I was in
hopes my horse would be recruited. Near the
margin of the river a large tree had been blown
down, and I thought of making my lair in its top,
and approached it for that purpose. While beating
among the branches I heard a low growl, as much
as to say, " Stranger, the apartments are already
taken." Looking about to see what sort of a bed-
fellow I was likely to have, I discovered, not more
than five or six paces from me, an enormous^Mexi-
can cougar eyeing me as an epicure surveys the
table before he selects his dish, for I have no doubt
the cougar looked upon me as the subject of a

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 153

future supper. Rays of light darted from his large
eyes, he showed his teeth like a negro in hysterics,
and he was crouching on his haunches, ready for a
spring; all of which convinced me that unless I
was pretty quick upon the trigger, posterity would
know little of the termination of my eventful
career, and it would be far less glorious and useful
than I intend to make it.

One glance satisfied me that there was no time
to be lost, as Pat thought when falling from a
church steeple, and exclaimed, " This would be
mighty pleasant, now, if it would only last," — but
there was no retreat, either for me or the cougar,
so I levelled my Betsey, and blazed away. The
report was followed by a furious growl, (which is
sometimes the case in Congress,) and the next
moment, when I expected to find the tarnal critter
struggling with death, I beheld him shaking his
head as if nothing more than a bee had stung him.
The ball had struck him on the forehead, and
glanced off, doing no other injury than stunning
him for an instant, and tearing off the skin, which
tended to infuriate him the more. The cougar
wasn't long in making up his mind what to do,
nor was I neither; but he would have it all his
own way, and vetoed my motion to back out. I
had not retreated three steps before he sprang at

154 COLONEL Crockett's

me like a steamboat ; I stepped aside, and as he lit
upon the ground I struck him violently with the
barrel of my rifle, but he didn't mind that, but
wheeled round and made at me again. The gun
was now of no use, so I threw it away, and drew
my hunting knife, for I knew we should come to
close quarters before the fight would be over.
This time he succeeded in fastening on my left
arm, and was just beginning to amuse himself by
tearing the flesh off with his fangs, when I ripped
my knife into his side, and he let go his hold much
to my satisfaction.

He wheeled about and came at me with increased
fury, occasioned by the smarting of his wounds. I
now tried to blind him, knowing that if I succeeded
he would become an easy prey ; so as he approached
me I watched my opportunity, and aimed a blow
at his eyes with my knife, but unfortunately it
struck him on the nose, and he paid no other atten-
tion to it than by a shake of the head and a low
growl. He pressed me close, and as I was stepping
backward my foot tripped in a vine, and I fell to
the ground. He was down upon me like a night-
hawk upon a June bug. He seized hold of the
outer part of my right thigh, which afforded him
considerable amusement ; the hinder part of his
body was toward my face ; I grasped his tail with

At)VENTURES IN TEXAS. 155

my left hand, and tickled his ribs with my hunting
knife, which I held in my right. Still, the critter
wouldn't let go his hold ; and as I found that he
would lacerate my leg dreadfully unless he was
speedily shaken off, I tried to hurl him down the
bank into the river, for our scuffle had already
brought us to the edge of the bank. I stuck my
knife into his side, and summoned all my strength
to throw him over. He resisted, was desperate
heavy ; but at last I got him so far down the
declivity that he lost his balance, and he rolled
^ over and over until he landed on the margin of
; the river ; but in his fall he dragged me along with
him. Fortunately I fell uppermost, and his neck
presented a fair mark for my hunting knife. With-
out allowing myself time even to draw breath, I
aimed one desperate blow at his neck, and the
knife entered his gullet up to the handle, and
reached his heart. He struggled for a few mo-
, ments, and died. I have had many fights with
bears, but that was mere child's play ; this was
the first fight ever I had with a cougar, and I hope
it may be the last.

I now returned to the tree top to see if any one
else would dispute my lodging; but now I could
take peaceable and quiet possession. I parted
some of the branches, and cut away others to

9,

156 COLONEL CROCKETT S

make a bed in the opening; I then gathered a
quantity of moss, which hung in festoons from
the trees, which I spread on the litter, and over
this I spread my horse blanket ; and I had as
comfortable a bed as a weary man need ask for.
I now took another look at my mustang, and from
all appearances he would not live until morning.
I ate some of the cakes that little Eate of Nacog-
doches had made for me, and then carried my
saddle into my tree top, and threw myself down
upon my bed, with no very pleasant rejections at
the prospect before me.

I was weary, and soon fell asleep, and did not
awake until daybreak the next day. I felt some-
what stiff and sore from the wounds I had received
in the conflict with the cougar ; but I considered
myself as having made a lucky escape. I leaked
over the bank, and as I saw the carcass of the
cougar lying there, I thought that it was an even
chance that we had not exchanged conditions ; and
I felt grateful that the fight had ended as it did.
I now went to look after my mustang, fully expect-
ing to find him as dead as the cougar ; but what
was my astonishment to find that he had disap-
peared without leaving trace of hair or hide of
him. I first supposed that some beasts of prey
had consumed the poor critter ; but then they

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 157

wouldn't have eaten his hones ; and he had vanish-
ed as effectually as the deposites, without leaving
any mark of the course they had taken. This
bothered me amazing; I couldn't figure it out by
any rule that I had ever heard of, so I concluded
to think no more about it.

I felt a craving for something to eat, and looking
around for some game, I saw a flock of geese on
the shore of the river. I shot a fine fat gander,
and soon stripped him of his feathers; and gather-
ing some light wood, I kindled a fire, run a long
stick through my goose, for a spit, and put it down
to roast, supported by two sticks with prongs. I
had a desire for some coffee; and having a tin cup
with me, I poured the paper of ground coffee that
I had received from the Bee hunter into it, and
made a strong cup, which was very refreshing.
Off of my goose and biscuit I made a hearty meal,
and was preparing to depart, without clearing up
the breakfast things, or knowing which direction
to pursue, when I was somewhat taken aback by
another of the wild scenes of the west. I heard a
sound like the trampling of many horses, and I
thought to be sure the mustangs or buffalos were
coming upon me again ; but on raising my head I
beheld in the distance about fifty mounted Cuman-

ches, with their spears glittering in the morning

14

158 COLONEL Crockett's

sun, dashing toward the spot where I stood at full
speed. As the column advanced it divided, accord-
ing to their usual practice, into two semicircles,
and in an instant I was surrounded. Quicker than
thought I sprang to my rifle, but as my hand grasped
it, I felt that resistance against so many would be
of as little use as pumping for thunder in dry
weather.

The chief was for making love to my beautiful
Betsey, but I clung fast to her, and assuming an
air of composure, I demanded whether their nation
was at war with the Americans. " No,'^ was the
reply. " Do you like the Americans ?" " Yes,
they are our friends." " Where do you get your
spear heads, your rifles, your blankets, and your
knives from ?" " Get them from our friends, the
Americans." "Well, do you think if you were
passing through their nation, as I am passing
through yours, they would attempt to rob you of
your property ?" " No, they would feed me, and
protect me; and the Cumanche will do the same
by his white brother."

I now asked him what it was had directed him
to the spot where I was, and he told me, that
they had seen the smoke from a great distance,
and had come to see the cause of it. He inquired
what had brought me there alone ; and I told him

AT>YENTURES IN TEXAS. 159

tTiat T had come to hunt, and that my mustang
had become exhausted, and though I thought he
was about to die, that he had escaped from me ; at
which the chief gave a low chuckHng laugh, and
said it was all a trick of the mustang, which is the
most wily and cunning of all animals. But h-e
said that as I was a brave hunter he would furnish
ime with another; he gave orders, and a fine young
horse was immediately brought forward.

When the party approached there were three
old squaws at their head, who made a noise with
their mouths, and served as trumpeters. I now
told the chief that, as I now had a horse, I would
go for my saddle, which was in the place where
I had slept. As I approached the spot I discovered
one of the squaws devouring the remains of my
roasted goose, but my saddle and bridle were no-
where to be found. Almost in despair of seeing
them again, I observed, in a thicket at a little dis-
tance, one of the trumpeters kicking and belabour-
ing her horse to make him move off, while the
sagacious beast would not move a step from the
troop. I followed her, and, thanks to her restive
mustang, secured my property, which the chief
made her restore to me. Some of the warriors
had by this time discovered the body of the cougar,
and had already commenced skinning it; and see-

160 COLONEL Crockett's

ing how many stabs were about it, I related to the
chief the desperate struggle I had had ; he said,
" Brave hunter, brave man," and wished me to be
adopted into his tribe, but I respectfully declined
the honour. He then offered to see me on my
way ; and I asked him to accompany me to the
Colorado river, if he was going in that direction,
which he agreed to do. I put my saddle on my
fresh horse, mounted, and we darted off, at a rate
not much slower than I had rode the day previous
with the wild herd, the old squaws at the head of
the troop braying like young jackasses the whole
way.

About three hours after starting we saw a drove
of mustangs quietly pasturing in the prairie at a
distance. One of the Indians immediately got his
lasso ready, which was a long rope made of hide
plaited like whip cord, with an iron ring at
one end, through which the rope was passed so as
to form a noose ; and thus prepared, he darted
ahead of the troop to make a capture. They
allowed him to approach pretty nigh, he all the
time flourishing his lasso ; but before he got within
reaching distance, they started off at a brisk canter,
made two or three wide circuits around him, as
if they would spy-out what he was after, then
abruptly changed their course, and disappeared.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 161

One mustang out of all the drove remained stand-
ing quietly ; the Indian made up to him, tl^evv
the lasso, but the mustang dodged his head between
his fore legs, and escaped the noose, but did not
attempt to escape. The Indian then rode up to
him, and the horse very patiently submitted while
he put a bridle on him, and secured him. When
I approached, I immediately recognised in the
captive the pestilent little animal that had shammed
sickness and escaped from me the day before ; and
when he caught my eye he cast down his head
and looked rather sheepish, as if he were sensible
and ashamed of the dirty trick he had played me.
I expressed my astonishment to the Indian chief
at the mustang's allowing himself to be captured
without an effort to escape ; and he told me, that
they are generally hurled to the ground with such
violence when first taken with the lasso, that they
remember it ever after, and that the sight of it will
subdue them to submission, though they may have
run wild for years. Just so wdth an office holder,
who, being kicked out, turns patriot — shake a
commission at him, and the fire of his patriotism
usually escapes in smoke.

We travelled all day, and toward evening we
came across a small drove of buffalos; and it was a

beautiful sight to behold with what skill the Indians

14*

162 COLONEL Crockett's

hunted down this noble game. There are no
horsemen who ride more gracefully than the
Cumanches ; and they sit so closely, and hold
such absolute control over the horse, that he
seems to be part of their own person. I had the
good fortune to bring down a young heifer, and as
it was the only beef that we killed, the chief again
complimented me as being a brave hunter ; and
while they were preparing the heifer for our supper
I related to him many of my hunting exploits, at
which he manifested pleasure and much astonish-
ment for an Indian. He again urged upon me to
become one of the tribe.

We made a hearty supper, hobbled our mus-
tangs, which we turned into the prairie to graze,
and then encamped for the night. I awoke about
two hours before daybreak, and looking over the
tract of country through which we had travelled,
the sky was as bright and clear as if the sun had
already risen. I w^atched it for some time without
being able to account for it, and asked my friend,
the chief, to explain, who told me that the prairie
was on fire, and that it must have caught when we
cooked our dinner. I have seen hundreds of acres
of mountain timber on fire in my time, but this is
the first time that I ever saw a prairie burning.

Nothing of interest occurred until we reached

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 163

the Colorado, and were following the j-iver to the
place where it crosses the road to Bexar, which
place the Indians promised to conduct me to. We
saw a light column of smoke ascending in the clear
sky, and hastened toward it. It proceeded from a
small cluster of trees near the river. When we
came within five hundred yards of it, the warriors
extended their line around the object, and the chief
and myself cautiously approached it. When we
came within eyeshot, what was my astonishment
to discover a solitary man seated on the ground
near the fire, so intent upon some pursuit that he
did not perceive our approach. We drew nigh to
him, and still he was unconscious of our approach.
It was poor Thimblerig practising his game of
thimbles upon the crown of his white Vicksburger.
This is what I call the ruling passion most amazing
strong. The chief shouted the war whoop, and
suddenly the warriors came rushing in from all
quarters, preceded by the old squaw trumpeters
squalling like mad. The conjurer sprang to his
feet, and was ready to sink into the earth when he
beheld the ferocious looking fellows that surround-
ed him. I stepped up, took him by the hand, and
quieted his fears. I told the chief that he was a
friend of mine, and I was very glad to have found
liim, for I was afraid that he had perished. I now

164 COLONEL Crockett's

thanked him for his kindness in guiding me over
the prairies, and gave him a large Bowie knife,
which he said he would keep for the sake of the
brave hunter. The whole squadron then wheeled
off, and I saw them no more. I have met with
many polite men in my time, but no one who pos-
sessed in a greater degree what may be called true
spontaneous politeness than this Cumanche chief,
always excepting Philip Hone, Esq., of New York,
whom I look upon as the politest man I ever did
see ; for when he asked me to take a drink at his
own side-board he turned his back upon me, that
I mightn't be ashamed to fill as much as I wanted.
That was what I call doing the fair thing.

Thimblerig was delighted at meeting me again,
but it was some time before he recovered suffi-
ciently from the cold sweat into which the sudden
appearance of the Indians had thrown him to
recount his adventures to me. He said that he felt
rather down-hearted when he found himself aban-
doned both by the Bee hunter and myself, and he
knew not which course to pursue ; but after think-
ing about the matter for two hours, he had made
up his mind to retrace the road we had travelled
over, and had mounted his mustang for that pur-
pose, when he spied the Bee hunter laden with
honey. The mystery of his abrupt departure was

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 165

now fully accounted for; he had spied a solitary
bee shaping its course to its hive, and at the mo-
ment he couldn't control the ruling passion, but
followed the bee without reflecting for a moment
upon the difficulties and dangers that his thought-
lessness might occasion his friends.

I now asked him what had become of the Bee
hunter, and he said that he had gone out in pursuit
of game for their supper, and he expected that he
would return shortly, as he had been absent at
least an hour. While we w^ere still speaking our
friend appeared, bending under the weight of a
wild turkey. He manifested great joy at meeting
with me so unexpectedly ; and desiring the con-^
jurer to pluck the feathers off the bird, vrhich he
cheerfully undertook, for he said he had been
accustomed to plucking pigeons, we set about
preparing our supper.

The position we occupied was directly on the
route leading to Bexar, and at the crossings of the
Colorado. We were about to commence our sup-
per, for the turkey was done in beautiful style,
when the sound of a horse neighing startled us.
We looked over the prairie, and beheld two men
approaching on horseback, and both armed with
rifles and knives. The Bee hunter said that it
was time for us to be on our guard, for we should

166 COLONEL Crockett's

meet, perhaps, more enemies than friends as soon
as we crossed the river, and the new-comers were
making directly for the spot we occupied ; but, as
they were only two, it occasioned no uneasiness.

As they drew nigh we recognised the strangers ;
they turned out to be the old pirate and the Indian
hunter who had lodged with us a few nights before.
We hailed them, and on seeing us they alighted
and asked permission to join our party, which we
gladly agreed to, as our journey was becoming
rather more perilous every mile w^e advanced.
They partook of our turkey, and as they had some
small cakes of bread, which they threw into the
general stock, we made a hearty supper ; and, after
a battle song from the Bee hunter, we prepared to
rest for the night.

Early next morning we crossed the river, and
pushed forward for the fortress of Alamo. The
old pirate was still as taciturn as ever, but his
companion was talkative and in good spirits. I
asked him where he had procured their mustangs,
and he said that he had found them hobbled in
Burnet's Grant just at a time that he felt very tired ;
and as he believed that no one would lay claim to
them at Bexar, he couldn't resist mounting one,
and persuading his friend to mount the other.

Nothing of interest occurred until we came

ADVENTURES} IN TEXAS. 167

within about twenty miles of San Antonio. We
were in the open prairie, and beheld a band of
about fifteen or twenty armed men approaehing us
at full speed. " Look out for squalls/' said the
old pirate, who had not spoken for an hour; "they
are a scouting party of Mexicans.'' "And are
three or four times our number," said Thimblerig.
" No matter," replied the old man ; " they are
convicts, jail birds, and cowardly ruffians, no doubt,
who would tremble at a loud word as much as a
mustang at the sight of the lasso. — Let us spread
ourselves, dismount, and trust to our arms."

We followed his orders, and stood beside our
horses, which served to protect our persons, and
we awaited the approach of the enemy. When
they perceived this movement of ours, they check-
ed their speed, appeared to consult together for a
few minutes, then spread their line, and came
within rifle shot of us. The leader called out to
us in Spanish, but as I did not understand him, I
asked the old man what it was, who said he called
upon us to surrender.

"There will be a brush with those blackguards,"
continued the pirate. " Now each of you single
out your man for the first fire, and they are greater
fools than I take them for if they give us a chance
at a second. — Colonel; as you are a good shot, just

168 COLONEL Crockett's

settle the business for that talking fellow with the
red feather ; he's worth any three of the party."

" Surrender, or we fire/' shouted the fellow
with the red feather in Spanish.

" Fire, and be d d," returned the pirate, at

the top of his voice, in plain English.

And sure enough they took his advice, for the
next minute we were saluted with a discharge of
musketry, the report of which was so loud that we
were convinced they all had fired. Before the
smoke had cleared away we had each selected our
man, fired, and I never did see such a scattering
among their ranks as followed. We beheld several
mustangs running wild without their riders over
the prairie, and the balance of the company were
already retreating at a more rapid gait than they
approached. We hastily mounted, and commenced
pursuit, which we kept up until we beheld the in-
dependent flag flying from the battlements of the
fortress of Alamo, our place of destination. The
fugitives succeeded in evading our pursuit, and we
rode up to the gates of the fortress, announced to
the sentinel w^ho we w^ere, and the gates were
thrown open ; and we entered amid shouts of
welcome bestowed upon us by the patriots.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 169

CHAPTER XII.

The fortress of Alamo is at the town of Bexar,
on the San Antonio river, which flows through the
town. Bexar is about one hundred and forty miles
from the coast, and contains upward of twelve
hundred citizens, all native Mexicans, with the
exception of a few American families who have
settled there. Besides these there is a garrison
of soldiers, and trading pedlars of every descrip-
tion, who resort to it from the borders of the Rio
Grande, as their nearest depot of American goods.
A military outpost was established at this spot by
the Spanish government in 1718. In 1731 the
town w^as settled by emigrants sent out from the
Canary Islands by the King of Spain. It became
a flourishing settlement, and so continued until the
revolution in 1812, since which period the Cuman-
che and other Indians have greatly harassed the
inhabitants, producing much individual suffering,
ll and totally destroying, for a season at least, the
prospects of the town. Its site is one of the most

beautiful in the western world. The air is salu-

15

170 COLONEL Crockett's

brioiis, the water delightful, especially when mixed
with a little of the ardent, and the health of the
citizens is proverbial. The soil around it is highly
fertile, and well calculated for cotton and grain.

The gallant young Colonel Travis, who com-
mands the Texitin forces in the fortress of Alamo,
received me like a man ; and though he can barely
muster one hundred and fifty efficient men, should
Santa Anna make an attack upon us, with the whole
host of ruffians that the Mexican prisons can dis-
gorge, he will have snakes to eat before he gets
over the wall, I tell you. But one spirit appears
to animate the little band of patriots — and that is
liberty, or death. To worship God according to
the dictates of their own conscience, and govern
themselves as freemen should be governed.

All the world knows, by this time, that the town
of Bexar, or, as some call it, San Antonio, was
captured from the Mexicans by General Burlison,
on the 10th day of December, 1835, after a severe
struggle of five days and five nights, during which
he sustained a loss of four men only, but the brave
old Colonel Milam was among them. There were
seventeen hundred men in the town, and the
Texian force consisted of but two hundred and
sixteen. The Mexicans had walled up the streets
leading from the public square, intending to make

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 171

a desperate resistance: the Texians however made
an entrance, and valiantly drove them from house
to house, until General Cos retreated to the castle
of Alamo, without the city, and there hoisted the
white flag, and sent out the terms of capitulation,
w^hich were as follows :

**General Cos is to retire within six days, with
his officers, arms, and private property, on parole
of honour. He is not to oppose the re-establish-
ment of the constitution of 1824.

The infantry, and the cavalry, the remnant of
Morale's battalion, and the convicts, to return,
taking with them ten rounds of cartridge for safety
against the Indians.

^ All public property, money, arms, and ammu-
nition, to be delivered to General Burlison, of the
Texian army,^-with some other stipulations in
relation to the sick and wounded, private property,
and prisoners of war. The Texians would not
have acceded to them, preferring to storm him in
his stronghold, but at this critical juncture they
hadn't a single round of ammunition left, having
fought from the 5th to the 9th of the month.
General Ugartechea had arrived but the day before
with three hundred troops, and the four hundred
convicts mentioned above, making a reinforcement
of seven hundred men; but such rubbish was no

172 COLONEL Crockett's

great obstacle to the march of freedom. The
Mexicans lost about three hundred men during
the siege, and the Texians had only four killed,
and twenty wounded. The articles of capitulation
being signed, we marched into the town, took
possession of the fortress, hoisted the independent
flag, and told the late proprietors to pack up thfeir
moveables and clear out in the snapping of a
trigger, as we did not think our pockets quite safe
with so many jail birds around us. And this is
the way the Alamo came into our possession ; but
the way we shall maintain our possession of it will
be a subject for the future historian to record, or
my name's not Crockett. — I wish I may be shot
if I don't go ahead to the last.

I found Colonel Bowie, of Louisiana, in the
fortress, a man celebrated for having been in more
desperate personal conflicts than any other in the
country, and whose name has been given to a
knife of a peculiar construction, which is now in
general use in the south-west. I was introduced
to him by Colonel Travis, and he gave me a
friendly welcome, and appeared to be mightily
pleased that I had arrived safe. While we were
conversing he had occasion to draw his famous
knife to cut a strap, and I wish I may be shot if
the bare sight of it wasn't enough to give a man

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 173

of a squeamish stomach the cholic, specially before
breakfast. He saw I was admiring it, and said he.
" Colonel, you might tickle a fellow's ribs a long
time with this little instrument before you'd make
him laugh ; and many a time have I seen a man
puke at the idea of the point touching the pit of
his stomach.'^

My companions, the Bee hunter and the conju-
rer, joined us, and the colonel appeared to know
them both very well. He had a high opinion of
the Bee hunter, for turning to me, he said, " Colo-
nel, you could not have had a braver, better, or
more pleasant fellow for a companion than honest
Ned here. With fifteen hundred such men 1
would undertake to march to the city of Mexico,
and occupy the seat of Santa Anna myself before
three months should elapse."

The colonel's life has been marked by constant
peril and deeds of daring. A few years ago he
went on a hunting excursion into the prairies of
Texas, with nine companions. They were attacked
by a roving party of Cumanches, about two hun-
dred strong, and such was the science of the colo-
nel in this sort of wild warfare, that after killing
a considerable number of the enemy, he fairly
frightened the remainder from the field of action,

and they fled in utter dismay. The fight took

15*

174 COLONEL Crockett's

place among the high grass in the open prairie.
He ordered his men to dismount from their horses
and scatter; to take deliberate aim before they
fired, but as soon as they had discharged their
rifles, to fall flat on the ground and crawl away
from the spot, and reload their pieces. By this
scheme they not only escaped the fire of the In-
dians, but by suddenly discharging their guns
from another quarter, they created the impression
that their party was a numerous one ; and the
Indians, finding that they were fighting against an
invisible enemy, after losing about thirty of their
men, took to flight, believing themselves lucky in
having escaped with no greater loss. But one of
the colonel's party was slightly wounded, and that
was owing to his remaining to reload his rifle
without having first shifted his position.

Santa Anna, it is said, roars like an angry lion
at the disgraceful defeat that his brother-in-law,
General Cos, lately met with at this place. It is
rumoured that he has recruited a large force, and
commenced his march to San Louis de Potosi, and
he is determined to carry on a war of extermina-
tion. He is liberal in applying his epithets to our
countrymen in Texas, and denounces them as a
set of perfidious wretches, whom the compassion
of the generous Mexicans has permitted to take

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 175

refuge in their country; and who, like the serpent in
the fable, no sooner warmed themselves than they
stung their benefactors. This is a good joke. —
By what title does Mexico lay claim to all the
territory which belonged to Spain in North Ame-
rica ? Each province or state of New Spain con-
tended separately or jointly, just as it happened,
for their independence, as we did, and were not
united under a general government representing
the whole of the Spanish possessions, which was
only done afterward by mutual agreement or fede-
ration. Let it be remembered that the Spanish
authorities were first expelled from Texas by the
American settlers, who, from the treachery of their
Mexican associates, were unable to retain it ; but
the second time they were more successful. They
certainly had as good a right to the soil thus con-
quered by them, as the inhabitants of other pro-
vinces who succeeded against Spain. The Mexi-
cans talk of the ingratitude of the Americans ; the
truth is, that the ingratitude has been on the other
side. What was the war of Texas, in 1813, when
the revolutionary spark was almost extinguished in
Mexico ? What was the expedition of Mina, and
his three hundred American Spartans, who perished
heroically in the very heart of Mexico, in the vain
attempt to resuscitate and keep alive the spark of

176 COLONEL Crockett's

independence which has at this time kindled such
an ungrateful blaze ? If a just estimate could be
made of the lives and the treasures contributed by-
American enterprise in that cause, it would appear
incredible. How did the Mexicans obtain their
independence at last ? Was it by their own virtue
and courage ? No, it was by the treachery of one
of the king's generals, who established himself by
successful treason, and they have been in constant
commotion ever since, which proves they are unfit
to govern themselves, much less a free and en-
lightened people at a distance of twelve hundred
miles from them.

The Mexican government, by its colonization
laws, invited and induced the Anglo-American
population of Texas to colonize its wilderness,
under the pledged faith of a written constitution,
that they should continue to enjoy that constitu-
tional liberty and republican government to which
they had been habituated in the land of their birth,
the United States of America. In this expectation
they have been cruelly disappointed, as the Mexi-
can nation has acquiesced in the late changes made
in the government by Santa Anna ; who, having
overturned the constitution of this country, now
ofiers the settlers the cruel alternative, either to
abandon their homes, acquired by so many priva-

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 177

tlons, or submit to the most intolerable of all
tyranny, the combined despotism of the sword
and the priesthood.

But Santa Anna charges the Americans with
ingratitude! This is something like Satan reviling
sin. I have gathered some particulars of the life
of this moral personage from a gentleman at present
in the Alamo, and who is intimately acquainted
with him, which I w^ill copy into my book exactly
as he wrote it.

Santa Anna is about forty-two years of age, and
was born in the city of Vera Cruz. His father
was a Spaniard, of old Spain, of respectable stand-
ing, though poor ; his mother was a Mexican. He
received a common education, and at the age of
thirteen or fourteen was taken into the military
family of the then Intendant of Vera Cruz, Gene-
ral Davila, who took a great fancy to him, and
brought him up. He remained with General Da-
vila until about the year 1820. While with Davila
he was made a major, and when installed he took
the honours very coolly, and on some of his friends
congratulating him, he said, " If you were to make
me a god, I should desire to be something greater.'^
This trait, developed at so early a period of his life,
indicated the existence of that vaulting ambij:ion
which has ever since characterized his life.

178 COLONEL Crockett's

After serving the Spanish royal cause until 1821,
he left Vera Cruz, turned against his old master
and benefactor, and placed himself at the head of
some irregular troops which he raised on the sea-
coast near Vera Cruz, and which are called Jaro-
chos in their language, and which were denominated
by him his Cossacks, as they are all mounted and
armed with spears. With this rude cavalry he
besieged Vera Cruz, drove Davila into the castle
of San Juan d'Ulloa, and after having been repulsed
again entered at a subsequent period, and got entire
possession of the city, expelling therefrom the old
Spanish troops, and reducing the power of the
mother country in Mexico to the walls of the
castle.

Subsequent to this, Davila is said to have ob-
tained an interview with Santa Anna, and told him
he was destined to act a prominent part in the
history of his country. '^And now," says he, "I
will give you some advice : always go with the
strongest party." He always acted up to this
motto until he raised the grito, (or cry,) in other
words, took up the cudgels for the friars and
church. He then overturned the federal govern-
ment, and established a central despotism, of which
the priests and the military were the two privi-
leged orders. His life has been, from the first, of

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 179

the most romantic kind ; constantly in revolutions,
constantly victorious.

His manners are extremely affable ; he is full of
anecdote and humour, and makes himself exceed-
ingly fascinating and agreeable to all who come
into his company ; he is about five feet ten, rather
spare, has a moderately high forehead, with black
hair, short black whiskers, without mustachios, and
an eye large, black, and expressive of a lurking
devil in his look ; he is a man of genteel and dig-
nified deportment, but of a disposition perfectly
heartless. He married a Spanish lady of property,
a native of Alvarado, and through that marriage
obtained the first part of his estate, called Manga
de Clavo, six leagues from Vera Cruz. He has
three fine children, yet quite young.

The following striking anecdote of Santa Anna
illustrates his peculiar quickness and management:
During the revolution of 1829, while he was shut
up in Oxaca, and surrounded by the government
troops, and reduced to the utmost straits for the
want of money and provisions, having a very small
force, there had been, in consequence of the siege
and firing every day through the streets, no mass
for several weeks. He had no money, and hit
upon the following expedient to get it: he took
possession of one of the convents, got hold of the

180 COLONEL CROCKETT^S

wardrobe of the friars, dressed his officers and
some of his soldiers in it, and early in the morning
had the bells rung for the mass. The people, de-
lighted at having again an opportunity of adoring
the Supreme Being, flocked to the church where he
was ; and after the house was pretty well filled, his
friars showed their side-arms and bayonets from
beneath their cowls, and closed the doors upon the
assembled multitude. At this unexpected denoue-
ment there was a tremendous shrieking, when one
of his officers ascended the pulpit, and told the peo-
ple that he wanted ten thousand dollars, and must
have it. He finally succeeded in getting about
thirty-six hundred dollars, when he dismissed the
congregation.

As a sample of Santa Anna's pious whims we
relate the folio wins; :

In the same campaign of Oxaca, Santa Anna and
his officers were there besieged by Rincon, who
commanded the government troops. Santa Anna
was in a convent surrounded by a small breast-
work. Some of the officers one night, to amuse
themselves, took the wooden saints out of the
church and placed them as sentries, dressed in uni-
forms, on the breastwork. Rincon, alarmed on
the morning at this apparent boldness, began to
fire away at the wooden images, supposing them

i

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. "- 181

to be flesh and blood ; and it was not until some
of the officers who were not in the secret had
implored Santa Anna to prevent this desecralioa
that the firing ceased.

Many similar facts are related of him. He is,
in fact, all things to all men ; and yet, after his
treachery to Davila, he has the impudence to talk
about ingratitude. He never was out of Mexico.
If I only live to tree him, and take him prisoner,
I shall ask for no more glory in this life.

16

132 COLONEL Crockett's

CHAPTER XIII.

I WRITE this on the nineteenth of February,
1836, at San Antonio. We are all in high spirits,
though we are rather short of provisions, for men
who have appetites that could digest any thing but
oppression ; but no matter, we have a prospect of
soon getting our bellies full of fighting, and that is
victuals and drink to a true patriot any day. We
had a little sort of convivial party last evening :
just about a dozen of us set to work, most pa-
triotically, to see whether v/e could not get rid of
that curse of the land, whisky, and we made con-
siderable progress ; but my poor friend. Thimble-
rig, got sewed up just about as tight as the eyelet-
hole in a lady's corset, and a little tighter too, I
reckon ; for when we went to bed he called for a
boot-jack, which was brought to him, and he bent
down on his hands and knees, and very gravely
pulled off his hat with it, for the darned critter
was so thoroughly swiped that he didn't know his
head from his heels. But this wasn't all the folly
he committed : he pulled off his coat and laid it

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 183

on the bed, and then hung himself over the back
of a chair ; and I wish I may be shot if he didn't
go to sleep in that position, thinking every thing
had been done according to Gunter's late scale.
Seeing the poor fellow completely used up, I car-
ried him to bed, though he did belong to the Tem-
perance society; and he knew nothing about what
had occurred until I told him next morning. The
Bee hunter didnH join us in this blow-out. In-
deed, he will seldom drink more than just enough
to prevent his being called a total abstinence man.
But then he is the most jovial fellow for a water
drinker I ever did see.

This morning I saw a caravan of about fifty
mules passing by Bexar, and bound for Santa Fe.
They were loaded with different articles to such a
degree that it was astonishing how they could tra-
vel at all, and they were nearly worn out by their
labours. They were without bridle or halter, and
yet proceeded with perfect regularity in a single
line; and the owners of the caravan rode their
mustangs with their enormous spurs, weighing at
least a pound a piece, with rowels an inch and a
half in length, and lever bits of the harshest de-
scription, able to break the jaws of their animals
under a very gentle pressure. The men were
(Iressed in the costume of Me>:icans. Colonel

184 COLONEL Crockett's

Travis sent out a guard to see that they were not
laden with munitions of war for the enemy. I
went out with the party. The poor mules were
bending under a burden of more than three hun-
dred pounds, without including the panniers, vvhich
were bound so tight as almost to stop the breath
of the poor animal. Each of the sorrowful line
came up, spontaneousl}^, in turn to have his girth
unbound and his load removed. They seemed
scarcely able to keep upon their feet, and as they
successively obtained relief, one after another
heaved a long and deep sigh, which it was painful
to hear, because it proved that the poor brutes had
been worked beyond their strength. What a
world of misery man inflicts upon the rest of
creation in his brief passage through life !

Finding that the caravan contained nothing in-
tended for the enemy, we assisted the owners to
replace the heavy burdens on the backs of the
patient but dejected mules, and allowed them to
pursue their weary and lonely way. For full two
hours we could see them slowly winding along
the narrow path, a faint line that ran like a thread
through the extended prairie ; and finally they
were whittled down to the little end of nothing
in the distance, and were blotted out from the
horizon.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 185

The caravan had no sooner disappeared than one
of the hunters, who had been absent several days,
came in. He was one of those gentlemen who
don't pride themselves much upon their costume,
and reminded me of a covey who came into a
tavern in New York when I was last in that city.
He was dressed in five jackets, all of which failed
to conceal his raggedness, and as he bolted in, he
exclaimed,

" Worse than I look, by . But no matter,

I've let myself for fourteen dollars a month, and
find my own prog and lodging."

" To do what ?" demanded the barkeeper.

" To stand at the corner for a paper-mill sign —
* cash for rags' — that's all. I'm about to enter
upon the stationery business, )^ou see." He tossed
ofi'his grog, and bustled out to begin his day's work.

But to return to the hunter. He stated that he
had met some Indians on the banks of the Rio Frio,
who informed him that Santa Anna, with a large
force, had already crossed the Neuces, and might
be expected to arrive before San Antonio in a few
days. We immediately set about preparing to
give him a warm reception, for we are all well
aware, if our little band is overwhelmed by num-
bers, there is little mercy to be expected from the

cowardly Mexicans — it is war to the knife.

16*

186 COLONEL Crockett's

I jocosely asked the ragged hunter, who was a
smart, active young fellow, of the steamboat and
alligator breed, whether he was a rhinoceros or a
hyena, as he was so eager for a fight with the in-
vaders. " Neither the one, nor t'other, Colonel,"
says he, " but a whole menagerie in myself. I'm
shaggy as a bear, wolfish about the head, active as
a cougar, and can grin like a hyena, until the bark
wdll curl off a gum log. There's a sprinkling of
all sorts in me, from the lion down to the skunk ;
and before the war is over 3'ou'll pronounce me
an entire zoological institute, or I miss a figure in
my calculation. I promise to swallow Santa Anna
without gagging, if you will only skewer back his
ears, and grease his head a little."

He told me that he was one in the fatal expedi-
tion fitted out from New Orleans, in November
last, to join the contemplated attack upon Tampico
by Mehia and Peraza. They w^ere, in all, about
one hundred and thirty men, who embarked as
emigrants to Texas; and the terms agreed upon
were, that it was optional whether the party took
up arms in defence of Texas, or not, on landing.
They were at full liberty to act as they pleased.
But the truth was, Tampico was their destination,
and an attack on that city the covet design, which
was not made known before land was in sight.

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 187

The emigrants were landed, some fifty, who doubt-
less had a previous understanding, joined the stan-
dard of General Mehia, and the following day a
formidable fort surrendered without an attack.

The whole party were now tendered arms and
ammunition, which even those who had been
decoyed accepted ; and, the line being formed,
they commenced the attack upon the city. The
hunter continued: ^' On the 15th of November
our little army, consisting of one hundred and
fifty men, marched into Tampioo, garrisoned by
tw^o thousand Mexicans, who were drawn up in
battle array in the public square of the city. We
charged them at the point of the bayonet, and
although they so greatly outnumbered us, in two
minutes we completely routed them ; and they
fled, taking refuge on the house tops, from which
they poured a destructive fire upon our gallant
little band. We fought them until daylight, when
we found our number decreased to fifty or sixty
broken down and disheartened men. Without
ammunition, and deserted by the officers, twenty-
eight immediately surrendered. But a few of us
cut our way through, and fortunately escaped to
the mouth of the river, where we got on board a
vessel and sailed for Texas.

" The twenty-eight prisoners wished to be con-

188 COLONEL Crockett's

sidered as prisoners of war ; they made known the
manner in which they had been deceived, but they
were tried by a court-martial of Mexican soldiers,
and condemned to be shot on the 14th day of De-
cember, 1835, which sentence was carried into
execution."

After receiving this account from my new friend,
the old pirate and the Indian hunter came up, and
they went oflf to liquor together, and I went to see
a wild Mexican hog, which one of the hunters had
brought in. These animals have become scarce,
which circumstance is not to be deplored, for their
flesh is of little value ; and there will still be hogs
enough left in Mexico, from all I can learn, even
though these should be extirpated.

February 22. The Mexicans, about sixteen
hundred strong, with their President Santa Anna
at their head, aided by Generals Almonte, Cos,
Sesma, and Castrillon, are within two leagues of
Bexar. General Cos, it seems, has already forgot
his parole of honour, and has come back to retrieve
the credit he lost in this place in December last.
If he is captured a second time, I don't think he
can have the impudence to ask to go at large again
without giving better bail than on the former occa-
sion. Some of the scouts came in, and bring re-
ports that Santa Anna has been endeavouring to

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 189

excite the Indians to hostilities against the Texians,
but so far without effect. The Cumanches, in
particular, entertain such hatred for the Mexicans,
and at the same time hold them in such contempt,
that they would rather turn their tomahawks
iigainst them, and drive tliem from the land, than
lend a helping hand. We are up and doing, and
as lively as Dutch cheese in the dog-days. The
two hunters that I have already introduced to the
reader left the town, this afternoon, for the purpose
of reconnoitring.

February 23. Early this morning tlie enemy
came in sight, marching in regular order, and dis-
playing their strength to the greatest advantage-
in order to strike us with terror. But that was
no go ; they'll find that they have to do with men
who will never lay down their arms as long as they
can stand on their legs. We held a short council
of war, and, finding that we should be completely
surrounded, and overwhelmed by numbers, if we
remained in the town, we concluded to withdraw
to the fortress of Alamo, and defend it to the last
extremity. We accordingly filed ofi", in good or-
der, having some days before placed all the surplus
provisions, arms, and ammunition in the fortress
We have had a large national flag made ; it is
composed of thirteen stripes, red and white, alter-

190 COLONEL Crockett's

nately, on a blue ground with a large white star,
of five points, in the centre, and between the
points the letters Texas. As soon as all our little
band, about one hundred and fifty in number, had
entered and secured the fortress in the best possible
manner, we set about raising our flag on the battle-
ments ; on which occasion there was no one more
active than my young friend, the Bee hunter. He
. had been all along sprightly, cheerful, and spirited,
but now, notwithstanding the control that he
usually maintained over himself, it was with diffi-
culty that he kept his enthusiasm within bounds*
As soon as we commenced raising the flag he burst
forth, in a clear, full tone of voice, that made the
blood tingle in the veins of all who heard him :—

((

Up with your banner, Freedom,
Thy champions cling to thee ;

They'll follow where'er yon lead 'em.
To death, or victory ; —

Up with your banner. Freedom.

Tyrants and slaves are rushing

To tread thee in the dust ;
Their blood will soon be gushing,

And stain our knives with rust ;—
But not thy banner. Freedom.

While stars and stripes are flying.
Our blood we'll freely shed ;

No groan will 'scape the dying,
Seeing thee o'er his head ;^

Up with your banner, Freedom."

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 191

This song was followed by three cheers from
all within the fortress, and the drums and trumpets
commenced playing. The enemy marc'\ed into
Bexar, and took possession of the town, a blood-
red flag flying at their head, to indicate that we
need not expect quarters if we should fall into
their clutches. In the afternoon a messenger was
sent from the enemy to Colonel Travis, demanding
an unconditional and absolute surrender of the
garrison, threatening to put every man to the
sword in case of refusal. The only answer he
received was a cannon shot, so the messenger left
us with a flea in his ear, and the Mexicans com-
menced firing grenades at us, but without doing
any mischief. At night Colonel Travis sent an
express to Colonel Fanning, at Goliad, about three
or four days' march from this place, to let him
know that v>^e are besieged. The old pirate volun-
teered to go on this expedition, and accordingly
left the fort after night fail.

February 24. Very early this morning the ene-
my commenced a new battery on the banks of the
river, about three hundred and fifty yards from the
fort, and by afternoon they amused themselves by
firing at us from that quarter. Our Indian scout
came in this evening, and with him a reinforcement
of thirty men from Gonzales, who are just in the nick

192 COLONEL Crockett's

of time to reap a harvest of glory; but there is some
prospect of sweating blood before we gather it in.
An accic'ent happened to my friend Thimblerig this
afternoon. He was intent on his eternal game of
thimbles, in a somewhat exposed position, while
the enemy were bombarding us from the new
redoubt. A three ounce ball glanced from the
parapet and struck him on the breast, inflicting a
painful but not dangerous wound. I extracted the
bail, which was of lead, and recommended to him
to drill a hole through it, and carry it for a watch
seal. ^'' No," he replied, with energy, " may I be
shot six times if I do ; that would be making a
bauble for an idle boast. No, Colonel, lead is
getting scarce, and I'll lend it out at compound
interest. — Curse the thimbles !" he muttered, and
went his way, and I saw no more of him that
evening.

Fehruary 25. The firing commenced early
this morning, but the Mexicans are poor engineers,
for we haven't lost a single man, and our outworks
have sustained no injury. Our sharp shooters have
brought down a considerable number of stragglers
at a long shot. I got up before the peep of day,
hearing an occasional discharge of a rifle just over
the place where I was sleeping, and I was some-
what amazed to see Thimblerig mounted alone on

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 193

the battlement, no one being on duty at the time
but the sentries. "What are you doing there ?"
says I. " Paying my debts," says he, " interest
and all." "And how do you make out ?" says I.
" I've nearly got through," says he ; " stop a
moment, Colonel, and I'll close the account." He
clapped his rifle to his shoulder, and blazed away,
then jumped down from his perch, and said, "That
account's settled ; them chaps will let me play out
my game in quiet next time." I looked over the
wall, and saw four Mexicans lying dead on the
plain. I asked him to explain what he meant by
paying his debts, and he told me that he had run
the grape shot into four rifle balls, and that he had
taken an early stand to have a chance of picking
off stragglers. "Now, Colonel, let's go take our
bitters," said he; and so we did. The enemy
have been busy during the night, and have thrown
up two batteries on the opposite side of the river,.
The battalion of Matamoros is posted there, and
cavalry occupy the hills to the east and on the
road to Gonzales. They are determined to sur-
round us, and cut us off from reinforcement, or the
possibility of escape by a sortie. — ^Well, there's
one thing they cannot prevent : we'll still go
ahead, and sell our lives at a high price.

February 26. Colonel Bowie has been taken

17

194 COLONEL Crockett's

sick from over exertion and exposure. He did
not leave his bed to-day until twelve o'clock. He
is worth a dozen common men in a situation like
ours. The Bee hunter keeps the whole garrison
in good heart with his songs and his jests, and his
daring and determined spirit. He is about the
quickest on the trigger, and the best rifle shot we
have in the fort. I have already seen him bring
down eleven of the enemy, and at such a distance
that we all thought it would be waste of ammuni-
tion to attempt it. His gun is first-rate, quite equal
to my Betsey, though she has not quite as many
trinkets about her. This day a small party sallied
out of the fort for wood and water, and had a slight
skirmish with three times their number from the
division under General Sesma. The Bee hunter
headed them, and beat the enemy off, after killing
three. On opening his Bible at night, of which he
always reads a portion before going to rest, he
found a musket ball in the middle of it. *' See
here. Colonel,^' said he, " how they have treated
the valued present of my dear little Kate of Na-
cogdoches." "It has saved your life," said I.
"True," replied he, more seriously than usual,
'^ and I am not the first sinner whose life has been
saved by this book." He prepared for bed, and
before retiring he prayed, and returned thanks for

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 195

his providential escape ; and I heard the name of
Catherine mingled in his prayer.

February 27. The cannonading began early
this morning, and ten bombs were thrown into
the fort, but fortunately exploded without doing
any mischief. So far it has been a sort of tempest
in a teapot ; not unlike a pitched battle in the Hall
of Congress, where the parties array their forces,
make fearful demonstrations on both sides, then fire
away with loud sounding speeches, which contain
about as much meaning as the report of a howitzer
charged with a blank cartridge. Provisions are
becoming scarce, and the enemy are endeavouring
to cut oif our water. If they attempt to stop our
grog in that manner, let them look out, for we shall
become too wrathy for our shirts to hold us. We
are not prepared to submit to an excise of that
nature, and they'll find it out. This discovery has
created considerable excitement in the fort.

February 28. Last night our hunters brought
in some corn and. hogs, and had a brush with a
scout from the enemy beyond gun-shot of the fort.
They put the scout to flight, and got in without
injury. They bring accounts that the settlers are
flying in all quarters, in dismay, leaving their pos-
sessions to the mercy of the ruthless invader, who
is literally engaged in a war of extermination,

196 COLONEL Crockett's

more brutal than the untutored savage of the desert
could be guilty of. Slaughter is indiscriminate,
sparing neither sex, age, nor condition. Buildings
have been burnt down, farms laid waste, and Santa
Anna appears determined to verify his threat, and
convert the blooming paradise into a howling wil-
derness. For just one fair crack at that rascal,
even at a hundred yards distance, I would bargain
to break my Betsey, and never pull trigger again.
My name's not Crockett if I wouldn't get glory
enough to appease my stomach for the remainder
of my life. The scouts report that a settler, by
the name of Johnson, flying with his wife and
three little children, when they reached the Colo-
rado, left his family on the shore, and waded into
the river to see whether it would be safe to ford
with his wagon. When about the middle of the
river he was seized by an alligator, and, after a
struggle, was dragged under the water, and perish-
ed. The helpless woman and her babes were dis-
covered, gazing in agony on the spot, by other
fugitives who happily passed that way, and relieved
them. Those who fight the battles experience but
a small part of the privation, suffering, and anguish
that follow in the train of ruthless war. The can-
nonading continued, at intervals, throughout the
day, and all hands were kept up to their work^

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 197

The enemy, somewhat imboldened, draws nigher
to the fort. So much the better. — There was a
move in General Sesma's division toward evening.
February 29. Before daybreak we saw Gene-
ral Sesma leave his camp with a large body of
cavalry and infantry, and move off in the direction
of Goliad. We think that he must have received
news of Colonel Fanning's coming to our relief.
We are all in high spirits at the prospect of being
able to give the rascals a fair shake on the plain.
This business of being shut up makes a m.an
wolfish. — I had a little sport this morning before
breakfast. The enemy had planted a piece of ordi-
nance within gun-shot of the fort during the night,
and the first thing in the morning they commenced
a brisk cannonade, point-blank, against the spot
where I was snoring. I turned out pretty smart,
and mounted the rampart. The gun was charged
again,.^ fellow stepped forth to touch her off, but
before he could apply the match I let him have it,
and he keeled over. A second stepped up, snatched
the match from the hand of the dying man, but
Thimblerig, who had followed me, handed me his
rifle, and the next instant the Mexican was stretched
on the earth beside the first. A third came up to
the cannon, my companion handed me another gun,

and I fixed him off in like manner. A fourth, then

17*

7^

198 COLONEL CROCKETT S

a fifth, seized the match, who both met with the
same fate, and then the whole party gave it up as
a bad job, and hurried off to the camp, leaving the
cannon ready charged where they had planted it.
I came down, took my bitters, and went to break-
fast. Thimblerig told me that the place from
which I had been firing was one of the snuggest
stands in the whole fort, for he never failed picking
ofi" two or three stragglers before breakfast, when
perched up there. And I recollect, now, having
seen him there, ever since he was wounded, the
first thing in the morning, and the last at night, —
and at times thoughtlessly playing at his eternal
game.

March 1. The enemy's forces have been in-
creasing in numbers daily, notwithstanding they
have already lost about three hundred men in the
several assaults they have made upon us. I neg-
lected to mention in the proper place, that when
the enemy came in sight we had but three t)ushels
of corn in the garrison, but have since found
eighty bushels in a deserted house. Colonel
Bowie's illness still continues, but he manages to
crawl from his bed every day, that his comrades
may see him. His presence alone is a tower of
strength. — The enemy becomes more daring as his
numbers increase.

. ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 199

March 2. This day the delegates meet in
general convention, at the town of Washington, to
frame our Declaration of Independence. That the
sacred instrument may never be trampled on by
the children of those who have freely shed their
blood to establish it, is the sincere wish of David
Crockett. Universal independence is an almighty
idea, far too extensive for some brains to compre-
hend. It is a beautiful seed that germinates rapid-
ly, and brings forth a large and vigorous tree, but
like the deadly Upas, we sometimes find the
smaller plants wither and die in its shades. Its
blooming branches spread far and wide, ofifering a
perch of safety to all alike, but even among its
protecting branches we find the eagle, the kite,
and the owl preying upon the helpless dove and
sparrow. Beneath its shade myriads congregate
in goodly fellowship, but the lamb and the fawn
find but frail security from the lion and the jackal,
though the tree of independence waves over them.
Some imagine independence to be a natural charter,
to exercise without restraint, and to their fullest
extent, all the energies, both physical and mental,
with which they have been endowed ; and for
their individual aggrandizement alone, without
regard to the rights of others, provided they
extend to all the same privilege and freedom

200 COLONEL Crockett's

of action. Such independence is the worst of
tyranny.

March 3. We have given over all hopes of
receiving assistance from Goliad or Refugio. Co-
lonel Travis harangued the garrison, and concluded
by exhorting them, in case the enemy should carry
the fort, to fight to the last gasp, and render their
victory even more serious to them than to us.
This was followed by three cheers.

March 4. Shells have been falling into the fort
like hail during the day, but without eflfect. About
dusk, in the evening, we observed a man run-
ning toward the fort, pursued by about a dozen
Mexican cavalry. The Bee hunter immediately
knew him to be the old pirate who had gone to
Goliad, and, calling to the two hunters, he sallied
out of the fort to the relief of the old man, who
was hard pressed. I followed close after. Before
we reached the spot the Mexicans were close on
the heel of the old man, who stopped suddenly,
turned short upon his pursuers, discharged his
rifle, and one of the enemy fell from his horse.
The chase was renewed, but finding that he would
be overtaken and cut to pieces, he now turned
again, and, to the amazement of the enemy, became
the assailant in his turn. He clubbed his gun, and
dashed among them like a wounded tiger, and

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 201

they fled like sparrows. By this time we reached
the spot, and, in the ardour of the moment, followed
some distance before we saw that our retreat to the
fort was cut off by another detachment of cavalry.
Nothing was to be done but to fight our way
through. We were all of the same mind. '^ Go
ahead!" cried I, and they shouted, "Go ahead,
Colonel!'^ We dashed among them, and a bloody
conflict ensued. They were about twenty in num-
ber, and they stood their ground. After the fight
had continued about five minutes, a detachment
was seen issuing from the fort to our relief, and
the Mexicans scampered oflf, leaving eight of their
comrades dead upon the field. But we did not
escape unscathed, for both the pirate and the Bee
hunter were mortally wounded, and I received
a sabre cut across the forehead. The old man
died, without speaking, as soon as we entered the
fort. We bore my young friend to his bed, dressed
his wounds, and I watched beside him. He lay,
without complaint or manifesting pain, until about
midnight, when he spoke, and I asked him if he
wanted any thing. "Nothing," he replied, but
drew a sigh that seemed to rend his heart, as he
added, "Poor Kate of Nacogdoches!" His eyes
were filled with tears, as he continued, "Her words
were prophetic, Colonel ;" and then he sang, in a

S02 COLONEL CROCKETT S

low voice that resembled the sweet notes of his
own devoted Kate,

" But toom cam' the saddle, all bluidy to see,
And hame cam' the steed, but hame never cam' he."

He spoke no more, and, a few minutes after, died.
Poor Kate, who will tell this to thee !

March 5. Pop, pop, pop ! Bom, bom, bom !
throughout the day. — No time for memorandums
now. — Go ahead! — Liberty and independence for
ever!

\Here ends Col. Crockett^ s Tnanuscript .1

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 203

i

a

le

CHAPTER XIV.

The hand is cold that wrote the foregoing pages,
and it devolves upon another to record the subse-
quent events. Before daybreak, on the 6th of
March, the Alamo was assaulted by the whole
force of the Mexican army, commanded by Santa
Anna in person. The battle was desperate until
daylight, when only six men belonging to the
Texian garrison were found alive. They were
instantly surrounded, and ordered, by General
Castrillon, to surrender, which they did, under a
promise of his protection, finding that resistance
any longer would be madness. Colonel Crockett
was of the number. He stood alone in an angle
of the fort, the barrel of his shattered rifle in his
right hand, in his left his hugeBowie knife dripping
blood. There was a frightful gash across his fore-
head, while around him there was a complete bar-
rier of about twenty Mexicans, lying pell-mell,
dead, and dying. At his feet lay the dead body
of that well known character, designated in the
Colonel's narrative by the assumed name of Thim-

204 COLONEL Crockett's

jj^jlerig, his knife driven to the haft in the throat of
Mexican, and his left hand clenched in his hair,
jr^oor fellow, I knew him well, at a time when he
was possessed of many virtues, but of late years the
weeds had choked up the flowers ; however. Colo-
nel Crockett had succeeded in awakening in his
bosom a sense of better things, and the poor fellow
was grateful to the last, and stood beside his friend
throughout the desperate havoc.

General Castrillon was brave and not cruel, and
disposed to save the prisoners. He marched them
up to that part of the fort where stood Santa Anna
and his murderous crew. The steady, fearless
step, and undaunted tread of Colonel Crockett on
this occasion, together with the bold demeanour
of the hardy veteran, had a powerful effect on all
present. Nothing daunted, he marched up boldly
in front of Santa Anna, and looked him sternly in
the face, while Castrillon addressed " his excel-
lency,"— " Sir, here are six prisoners I have taken
alive ; how shall I dispose of them ?" Santa Anna
looked at Castrillon fiercely, flew into a violent
rage, and replied, " Have I not told you before
how to dispose of them ? Why do you bring them
to me ?" At the same time his brave officers
plunged their swords into the bosoms of their de-
fenceless prisoners. Colonel Crockett, seeing the

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 205

act of treachery, instantly sprang like a tiger at
the ruffian chief, but before he could reach him a
dozen swords were sheathed in his indomitable
heart; and he fell, and died without a groan, a
frown on his brow, and a smile of scorn and defi-
ance on his lips. Castrillon rushed from the scene,
apparently horror-struck, sought his quarters, and
did not leave them for several days, and hardly
spoke to Santa Anna after.

The conduct of Colonel Bowie was characteristic
to the last. When the fort was carried he was sick
in bed. He had also one of the murderous butcher
knives which bears his name. Lying in bed he
discharged his pistols and gun, and with each dis-
charge brought down an enemy. So intimidated
were the Mexicans by this act of desperate and
cool bravery, that they dared not approach him,
but shot him from the door ; and as the cowards
approached his bed, over the dead bodies of their
companions, the dying Bowie, nerving himself for
a last blow, plunged his knife into the heart of his
nearest foe at the same instant that he expired.

The gallant Colonel Travis fought as if deter-
mined to verify his prediction, that he would make
a victory more serious than a defeat to the enemy.
He fell from the rampart, mortally wounded, into

the fort ; and his musket fell forward among the

18

206 COLONEL Crockett's

foe, who were scaling the wall. After a few
minutes he recovered sufficiently to sit up, when
the Mexican officer who led that party attempted
to cut his head off with his sabre. The dying hero,
with a death grasp, drew his sword and plunged it
into the body of his antagonist, and both together
sank into the arms of death. General Cos, who
had commanded this fortress while in the posses-
sion of the Mexicans, and from whom it was cap-
tured, on entering the fort after the battle, ordered
the servant of Colonel Travis to point out the body
of his master; he did so, when Cos drew his sword,
waved it triumphantly over the corpse, and then
mangled the face and limbs with the malignant
feelings of a Cumanche savage. One woman, Mrs.
Dickinson, and a negro of Col. Travis, were the
only persons whose lives were spared. The bodies
of the slain were then thrown into a mass in the
centre of the Alamo, and burned. The loss of the
Mexicans in storming the place was not less than
eight hundred killed and mortally wounded, making
their losses since the first assault more than fifteen
hundred. This immense slaughter, by so small a
number, can only be accounted for by the fact of
the Texians having five or six guns to each man
in the fort. Immediately after the capture Santa
Anna sent Mrs. Dickinson and the servant to

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. i207

General Houston, accompanied by a Mexican with
a flag, offering the Texians peace and general
amnesty, if they would lay down their arms, and
submit to his government. General Houston's
reply was, " True, sir, you have succeeded in kill-
ing some of our brave men, but the Texians are
not yet conquered." He sent him a copy of the
Declaration of Independence recently agreed on at
New Washington.

After the capture of San Antonio, Santa Anna
had made a feint on Gonzales, where General
Houston was with a very inferior force, which in-
duced the latter to fall back on the Colorado, under
the belief that the whole Mexican army was march-
ing to attack him. A similar feint was also made
by the Mexican General on Bastrop, a town on the
Colorado, north-east of San Antonio. Gonzales
lies east of that place. Having, in both instances,
effected his object, Santa Anna concentrated his
forces, and marched directly for La Bahia, or Go-
liad, which is situated about ninety miles south-east
of San Antonio, on the Colorado. The fort at
Goliad is of great strength, and was defended by
Colonel Fanning with a small force of volunteers.
About the middle of March, orders were received
from General Houston directing the blowing up
and evacuation of the fort, and that Colonel Fanning

208 COLONEL Crockett's

should concentrate with him on the Colorado. On
the 18th of March the Mexicans were discovered,
in considerable force, in the neighbourhood of Go-
liad, and through the day there was some skirmish-
ing with the advance parties. On the 19th the
fort was set on fire, and its wooden defences de-
stroyed ; but the wall was left entire, and Colonel
Fanning took up his line of march. His force,
at that time, was reduced to two hundred and
sixty, rank and file. With this force and several
field pieces he set out to cross an open country,
and endeavour to effect a junction with General
Houston. On the evening of the first day of their
march, the enemy made their appearance in the
rear, about three miles distant. Colonel Fanning
halted, and opened his artillery on them, instead
of hastening forward to avail himself of the shelter
of a wood, some distance ahead. The enemy ma-
nifesting a disposition to cut him off* from the
woods, he again put his forces in motion, but it
was now too late. He not only lost the shelter of
the timber, which would have ensured his safety
against the enemy's horse, but the assistance of his
advanced guard, which was cut off* from him by
this manoeuvre of the enemy. The absence of the
advanced guard reduced his forces to two hundred*
and thirty-three, rank and file, to which the enemy

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 209

Opposed five hundred cavalry and two hundred
infantry. The action commenced about five
o'clock, and continued until nearly dark. The
enemy was repulsed with great loss in every
charge, and never was able to penetrate nearer to
Fanning's force than sixty-five or one hundred
yards ; and finally, about dark, drew ofi* his forces
to a secure distance, leaving only a few to succour
the wounded, who were not molested. Fanning's
loss was five killed and twelve wounded, two
mortally. The enemy acknowledged the loss of
one hundred and ninety-two killed, and a large
number wounded. So soon as the Mexicans with-
drew. Fanning commenced throwing up intrench-
ments, at which his men w^ere employed during
the whole night.

About sunrise on the 20th, the enemy again
advanced on Fanning, and fired their cannon four
times over him ; a large reinforcement of Mexi-
cans was plainly to be seen, three miles distant.
At this moment a white flag, attended by a small
party, was seen advancing from the enemy, which
was met by a similar one from Fanning, under
Major Wallace. The enemy demanded the sur-
render of Fanning and his forces, and promised, in
the most sacred manner, that they should retain all

their private property ; that they might return, by

' 18^

210 COLONEL Crockett's

the first opportunity, as prisoners of war, to the
United States, or remain until they were regularly
exchanged ; and that they should be treated in the
most humane manner while retained in confine-
ment. With these specious promises he was in-
duced to trust to the honour of the butchers of the
Alamo, and accept of the terms of capitulation.

As soon as the necessary arrangements could be
made the prisoners were marched, under a strong
guard, to Goliad, and huddled together, officers and
men, into a church within the fort at Goliad. The
enemy having succeeded in capturing other small
parties, the number of prisoners amounted to four
hundred, and were all crowded together in the
church, and compelled to sit or lie constantly.
The only accommodation afforded was a few
benches for the officers. They were retained in
this situation for three days, and during this
period received only a small ration of raw beef,
not exceeding half a pound each. On the fourth
day they were marched out into the open air, and
limits prescribed them, over which they were not
to pass. For four days longer they were kept in
this situation, during which they were allowed
only two rations similar to the first ; and, but for
the pecan nuts purchased from the Mexican sol-
diers, and a small quantity of jerked beef procured

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 211

in the same manner, they must have suffered im-
mensely. On the eighth day representations were
made to the prisoners, that it would be necessary
to remove them out of the fort, as they were about
to drive in beeves to slaughter, in order to prepare
rations for their removal to Matagorda, where they
were to take shipping for New Orleans. They
were accordingly marched out, in parties of one
hundred each, and, in single file, were led along a
high brush fence; when, at the distance of two
hundred yards, they were ordered to face about,
and the cocking of the guns gave the first intirr.ti-
tion of the fate thai awaited them. At the first
fire nearly all fell mortally wounded. A few
escaped by falling at the flash, and as soon as the
firing ceased, they leaped up, and sprung over the
fence, and succeeded in reaching the woods, where
they eluded their pursuers. The Mexicans pro-
ceeded to despatch with their bayonets any who
showed signs of life after the firing, and they
then stripped- and burnt the bodies. The authori-
ties of Texas bestowed solemn obsequies upon
their mutilated and blackened limbs, on the 4th
of June, after their murderers had sank unto death
on the plains of San Jacinto, under the appalling
words, "Remember La Bahia!"

But this succession of barbarities, so far from

212 COLONEL Crockett's

intimidating, served to rouse the energies of the
oppressed. The vainglorious Spaniard, elated with
his success, without adverting to the fact that he
had never been victorious without having at least
from five to ten of his mercenaries opposed to one
of his foes, now ventured to cross the Colorado,
believing that victory was perched upon his stand-
ard, and would not leave it until Texas should be
subdued.

His track was marked by death and desolation.
Fire, famine, and the sword were in his train, and
r'^ither sex nor age was received as a plea for
mercy. The hoary head of the grandsire, the
flaxen curls of the babe, and the dishevelled tresses
of the affrighted mother, were alike stained with
gore. Farm houses were consumed by fire, the
crops destroyed in the ground ; and the settlers
fled in dismay, feeling that the worst of scourges
had been let loose upon them. The plains were
strewed with thousands of the unburied slaugh-
tered ; and the air was fetid with corruption and
decay. The merciless tyrant saw all this, and his
heart expanded with joy, as he moved on, like
Attila, and beheld the terror and wretchedness of
those he came to annihilate, rather than to scourge
into subjection. But his was a temporary triumph.
He crossed the Colorado full of hope of carrying

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 213

his demoniac intentions into execution, but shame,
confusion, and defeat awaited his coming.

About the 18th of April the tyrant, with one
division of his troops, marched in the direction of
Lynch's ferry, on the San Jacinto, burning Harris-
burgh as he passed down. The Texian forces
under General Houston were ordered to be in
readiness, and on the morning of the 19th they
took up their line of march in pursuit of him, and
found him encamped on the banks of the San
Jacinto. About nine o'clock on the morning of
the 21st the Mexicans were reinforced by five hun-
dred choice troops, under command of General Cos,
increasing their efiective force to upward of fifteen
hundred men, while the aggregate force of the
Texians, for the field, numbered seven hundred
and eighty-three. General Houston ordered the
bridge on the only road communicating with the
Brazos, distant from the encampment, to be de-
stroyed, thus cutting ofi* all possibility of escape.
The Texian army was ordered to parade their
respective commands, which they did with alacrity
and spirit, and were anxious for the conflict ; the
disparity in numbers only seemed to increase their
enthusiasm and confidence. Houston, having the
enemy thus snugly hemmed in, and his little army
drawn up in order of battle, addressed them, in

214 COLONEL Crockett's

person, briefly, and concluded by saying, ^' Fellow
soldiers, there is the enemy before you ; do you
wish to fight?" "We do!" was the universal
response. " Well, then," he continued, " remem-
ber it is for liberty, or death! — Remember the
Alamo! Remember Goliad!" The soldiers shout-
ed, "We shall remember!"— " Then go ahead!"
From General Houston's official account it appears
that the war-cry was, "Remember the Alamo."
The attack was furious, and lasted about eighteen
minutes from the time of close action until the
Texians were in possession of the enemy's camp.
Our riflemen, not having the advantage of bayonets,
used their pieces as clubs, breaking many of them at
the breach. The rout commenced at half-past four
o'clock, and continued until twilight. In the battle
our loss was two killed and twenty-three wounded,
six of whom mortally. The enemy's loss was six
hundred and thirty killed, and seven hundred and
thirty were taken prisoners, among whom were
Generals Santa Anna and Cos, who were captured
a day or two after the battle. About six hundred
muskets and three hundred sabres were collected ;
several hundred mules and horses were taken, and
near twelve hundred dollars in specie.

We learn, from other sources, that General Cos,
when taken, was pale and greatly agitated ; but

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 215

Almonte displayed, as he had during the fight,
great coolness and courage. Santa Anna fled
among the earliest who retreated. His horse
bogged down in the prairie, near the Brassos
timber; he then made for the timber on foot.
His pursuers, in the eagerness of the chase, dashed
into the same bog, and continued the pursuit on
foot, following the trail of the fugitive, which was
very plain on account of the recent rains, tmtil
they reached the timber, where it was lost. The
pursuers then spread themselves, and searched the
woods for a long time in vain, when it occurred to
Arnold Hunter that the chase might, like a hard
pressed bear, have taken a tree. The tree tops
were then examined, when, lo! the game was dis-
covered snugly ensconced in the forks of a large
live oak. The captors did not know who the
prisoner was until they reached the camp, when
the Mexican soldiers exclaimed, " El General, El
General Santa Anna!" When conducted to Ge-
neral Houston he offered to evacuate Texas, and
acknowledge its independence, on condition that
his life and liberty should be granted to him, and
a safe escort to Mexico.

The enemy passed LaBahia and Bexar, blowing
up the Alamo; spiking, and throwing the cannon in
the river, in his retreat. The Cumanche Indians

216 ADVENTURES IN TEXAS.

commenced depredating in the rear of the Mexican
army, as they advanced from Bexar upon the
settlements. All their horses and mules, of which
they had many, as well as much baggage, were
taken by the Tndians. At every step they met
with trouble, and are hurrying with all possible
despatch toward the interior.

The fate of poor Fanning, who was not killed
in the indiscriminate massacre of his troops, has
since been ascertained. He was condemned to be
shot. When he found that was determined on,
and was ordered out for execution, he handed his
watch to an officer, as compensation to have him
buried, deliberately tied a handkerchief over his
eyes, begged them not to shoot him in the head,
bared his breast, and requested to be shot there.
He was shot in the head, and never buried!

Such are the monsters that freemen have had to
contend with, to maintain their freedom "5, the
struggle is not yet over, but nothing can i- .pede
iLa onward march, and Texas must take her stand
SduOi ^jibj^iendent nations.

THE END.

Original JLetter of David Croelcett*

At a late meeting of the Tennessee Historical
Society, Mr. F. N. M. Bruton presented thia
original of a letter from David Crockett to Wm.
Rodgers, of Caledonia, Henry County, Tennessee.
It is wrillen on unruled foolscap paper, and-is a
very characteristic and interesting letter of the
veteran pioneer and patriot. It is Trell worthy of
being given in full. It runs as follows :

Washington City, 8th January, 1834.

Dear Sir : — Your favour, relative to the arraign-
ment of your mail, was rec'd on yesterday and I
took it immediately to the P. M. G., and left it

©q:} JO ?T}9noq aq:j joj ^Xqu'cqo uo uoi^'BJO ;tj9jS stq
J8AT{9p 0% SI :ja9a9Ag; pjBMpa[ 'uojj usq^ *oisni\[
JO jCmspTJoy oq:j %ts '2uia3A9 siqi aonoipnB 9sn9ai |
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*9JTi.:)39n[ ^:}f.i«xiO Sfiii*jr»Aa; 'xjn

— — — — - ^ »'

•raiq punojins Aion
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jaijY *2uis8aa:)PTp oo? sainooaq gsbd nMO siq

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OA«q oqiA 'sapuqa^ao aaq'^o pa's za-^uopf 'epi

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u'BOuomv ^-eajS aqj jo a^doad aq'j Sacxn'B iiot:|'B

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flj^stq nioqiii 2noTai5 SsS'BA'bs aq) jo 3Gi]uT'8'^[tiA

sq-) aodn !)dai3'^noo ami^qtis q-jti* S2j[00i aq 7«in

iPMoqs 8{q4 iiY -oiT'vad nt safsaddn aq iiaqii

iGiq sttOTjoj i'sq-j qom aq^ ^gni'uS'B aoipd aq? jo

aoijoAic,.'] atj^ joi ssb aq ?;?>'>n joit Isoiooa Stq

pano^B 2u8q i^Bq^ ^aids h^. '--'l sqi ^oAi.ti .:3p::o

ion saop ajj 'OTtqnd aq'j eiojae; pap-ei^d aq

0% SI uot^duogap aq} ^^eq^ siioni^ aq qgnoq:^^

a?ins stq jo ssoq: pnij 'ssajp siq 'nogjad siq

01302 cj a^doad "girnjad ajj •a^q'ejiTnp'B si I'eq'}

ssanaAiseiraq-as -b q'jm 'aiiq qasoq (j'eqj snisu

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